You magazine, 13 July 2013

you JULY 13 2013

Your Ashburton Guardian publication

THE BODY ISSUE:

JUST LOVE yourself the way you are

SELF HATRED When it ruled her life

RECIPES Chia not just a pretty seed

DEALING WITH WEIGHT The natural way

YOU social scene

2

P2-3

Rural Women 80th jubilee

What’s in you who’s out and about

P4-5

COVER STORY: Collette Steiner’s learning curve

P6-7

Irish dancer’s awakening

P8-9

health scare prompts action

P10-11

when self hatred ruled her life

P12

helping others back to health

P18

street smart

P20-21

recipes with chia seeds

P22

sticky pork belly recipe

P23

a long journey for diamonds

P36-37

gardening and giveaways

COVER PHOTOGRAPH Photographer Eden Kirk-Williams Make-up Alysha Stewart Studio thanks to Good Taste Photography PUBLISHER Ashburton Guardian Co Ltd 307-7900 l ashburtonguardian.co.nz Material in YOU is copyright to the Ashburton Guardian and can not be reproduced without the written permission of the publishers

magazine

Editor’s note

T

his month in YOU we are focusing on the body issue.

While we have stories on people’s personal struggle with weight, our main thrust is about health and being at one with yourself.

Be you bigger, skinny, classically beau ful or plainer, none of it ma ers if you don’t love yourself.

Beau ful Irish former dancer Bronagh Slane s ll struggles with her self-esteem. It was a big deal for her to have her photo taken and she has a lot to say about her passion for helping younger people who struggle with self-esteem, but faced with a Guardian photographer and reporter, her shyness kicked in.

Our cover girl, Colle e Steiner, who would say she’s an average person, was a bubbly joy and her smile could light up a room.

Thank you to everyone who featured in this month’s YOU, the Guardian team thought you were all beau ful!

PHOTO TETSURO MITOMO 190613-TM-114

Above – Irene Johnston (left) and Beryl Boag.

Below – Ann Marshall and Bev Bagrie.

190613-TM-117

Editorial contact Lisa Fenwick • 307-7929 • lisa.f@theguardian.co.nz

Advertising contact Desme Daniels • 307-7974 • desme.d@theguardian.co.nz

Come on in.

Great hearty soups and fantastic Hot Pots on the menu.

s .%7 349,%3 s .%7 #/,/523 s '2%!4 30%#)!,3

s -!$% ). .%7 :%!,!.$ s 5."%!4!",% 6!,5%

19 Pet Peters ters St Street, Hinds (SH1) | 03 303 7621

3

Above – Va ald ld lda da Sm S ith (lef e t) and ef n Shi h rlley e Hydes..

190613-TM-120

190613-TM-115

Above – Marian Taylor (left) and Shona Deaker.

190613-TM-124

Above – Margaret Verrall (left) and Anne Watson.

190613-TM-112

Above – Val Cartwright (left) and Perry Jowers.

Right (from left) – Shona Prebble, Rosemary Wakelin and Lynne Curd.

9TH BIRTHDAY SALE - AT LEAST 20% OFF FITNESS EQUIPMENT EXERCYCLES ROWERS

save up to $500

save up to $450

TREADMILLS CROSS TRAINERS save

up to $500

*conditions *shop modelsapply only

Locally Owned & Operated Free Assembly & In to town delivery*

The Fitness Shop

save up to $600

Ashburton: 161 Tancred St, 03-307-1600 Timaru: 84 Stafford St, 03-688-8200

www.fitbiz.co.nz 0800-348-249

YOU body issue

4 Beauty is not skin deep; it’s something that shines from within – when you feel good about yourself you look good, Michelle Nelson talked to Collette Steiner about self-confidence and self-acceptance.

Look in the mirror and

like who you see C

olle e Steiner puts great store in the value of a smile; which is all she wore during the photo shoot for this edi on of YOU magazine.

Feeling and looking fabulous at 40, the decision to appear nude for the camera surprised even Colle e.

“I wouldn’t have done a nude shoot in my 30s, or any younger than that either. That’s taken the challenges of the last year to do it.”

Mother of two children, Joel aged 23, and Chantal, 17, Colle e grew up in the North Island and came south with her Mid Canterburyborn partner Leigh Garner 17 years ago.

The couple now manage a dry stock farm at Staveley, having spent years on dairy farms.

“Last year was the first me I didn’t have to do the calving – so I joined the gym for stress relief, and loved it.”

So much so that when the recep onist’s job came up at Configure Express, Colle e stepped into the role.

In May she turned 40, and is embracing life with a new perspec ve, a er a difficult year.

Early in the year a death on a friend’s farm rocked the family. Shortly a erwards Colle e’s dad went missing overnight in Tokaroa bushland, ins ga ng a search and rescue call-out.

Then Chantal was involved in a horrific smash, which tore the vehicle in two and le the teenager with serious injuries, from which she is s ll slowly but miraculously recovering.

But there were also a lot of posi ve elements.

“I did a street smart self-defence course which really helped my self-confidence, and I realised

“

that had been missing for a while.

“I’ve always been a posi ve person but I lacked confidence to follow through with things.

“When I hit my 30s I also hit all that ‘who am I, what have I achieved?’ stuff. I came into my 40s feeling excited – I’ve challenged myself in the past year, I’ve put myself outside my comfort zone and I’m much more relaxed about who I am.

“I never had weight issues un l I was in my mid-30s and I quit smoking. At one stage I got up to 90kg.

“One day I looked in the mirror and was shocked – what I saw was not who I thought I was. I couldn’t even wear the style of clothing that I liked.

When I joined the gym I got down to 70kg, but it wasn’t something really manageable – and with everything that happened last year, I took a good hard look at what’s important.

“Being healthy and healthy ea ng is great, but I s ll love my custard pies, and I enjoy a glass of port in the evening, or a glass of wine with my friends – I’m not prepared to give that stuff up.

“I love working out – it makes me feel good, and when I look in the mirror now I feel happy.

“Everyone sees beauty differently – it’s not just skin deep. I’ve been with my partner for 20 something years now – and neither of us look the same as we did when we met, but we s ll love each other. What’s important is who you are inside, the be er we feel about who we are the be er we look anyway.

“A lot changed for me when I started exercis-

ing – which I did for stress management ini ally.

“When I joined the gym with my best friend I thought I would go two or three mes a week but working out made me feel so awesome and mo vated. Before that I was the kind of person who thought running was a form of torture and wondered why you would join a gym.

“I s ll eat what I want – I look in the mirror and like what I see.

“My job is not to look like Jennifer Aniston – my job is to be a good partner, mother, recep onist and a great friend – I may work in a gym environment but nobody makes me feel like I should be a size eight.

“We blame society for the percep on we have of what women should look like, but we are the society – if more of us stood up and said ‘I’m okay with who I am’, then that viewpoint might change.

The future is s ll a blank slate at this point; however it will involve study or learning of some descrip on.

“I’ve done an introduc on to humani es paper, and a business accoun ng course, but I’m thinking about doing something different – maybe art or woodwork.

“For me finding what’s important in life and challenging myself has paid off – as for what happens next, I’ll put it out there and see what the results are.”

PHOTO KIRSTY CLAY 090713-KC-030

We blame society for the perception we have of what women should look like, but we are the society – if more of us stood up and said ‘I’m okay with who I am’, then that viewpoint might change.

5 Collette Steiner and her daughter Chantal Steiner-Garner have had a tough year, but it is a year that’s helped Collette accept herself just the way she is.

PHOTO EDEN KIRK-WILLIAMS

YOU body issue

6 Insecurities can affect even the most unlikely suspects. Reporter GABRIELLE STUART spoke to an Irish dancer who has seen insecurities destroy dreams, not only in her own life but the lives of some of her closest friends

Skinny dance culture can

lives, dreams destroy

B

ronagh Slane is young, talented dancer with a gorgeous smile – the last person anyone would expect to have insecuri es about her body.

Bronagh grew up in Ireland with two bubbly sisters and was always the mid child – but nothing could stop her dancing, and it was that love that thrust her into the spotlight, when she won a scholarship to study dance in Liverpool.

There, the girls danced in front of mirrors every day, for eight hours a day, and Bronagh saw three of her best friends fall vic m to the intense body image pressure, one by one they were diagnosed with anorexia.

Although she never went that far herself, she said the pressure was intense as a young girl.

“I would love to say it was just about fun and the love of dance, but in the industry it’s all about body image and everyone knew that when you went to audi ons your size would be judged.

“It wasn’t just the pressure from others, but ourselves. Every day we would watch ourselves in the mirrors, judging, judging, judging. It’s that pressure from within yourself and slowly it was ge ng to me.”

Although nothing could stop her love of dancing, Bronagh gave up her dreams of being a professional dancer – and that was the first step on a journey that would eventually lead her to Ashburton.

She has been in the district just three months, and she’s not quite sure how she got here or where she might end up; but she knows for certain that the journey has changed her.

“Travel is what changed me. I’ve met so many people of so many races and shapes and sizes, and that changes your whole outlook on life. I

“

have always loved mee ng new people and different people, but they have slowly changed my whole a tude.”

It hasn’t been an easy journey, and Bronagh said she s ll struggles with insecuri es.

“I think that the key is being confident with the person you are. No ma er what size you are, I think it’s a psychological thing, and if you’re not happy with yourself you won’t be happy no matter how much weight you lose.”

She said there was a nega ve culture around the world that built on girls’ insecuri es.

“You see it in lingerie shops, where you have posters of the gorgeous models on every wall.

Then in the changing rooms you stand surrounded by mirrors, and you compare your body with that picture of the models in your head and you feel disgusted.”

And even at her lowest point, she said something always held her back from going down paths like anorexia.

“Underneath I had that strong li le voice, always telling me not to go too far. Now I have had so many people suppor ng and encouraging me – all the people that ma er, they’re my ‘voice’ now.”

Bronagh loves being surrounded by women, and one of her dreams is to help girls going through the same issues she and her friends faced.

And although she doesn’t see herself ever returning to compe ve dance, she said nothing will ever take away that love.

“I love dancing, and I think about it all the me.

Every me I go out, the moment the music starts I’m dancing and I could never bring myself to stop.”

... the key is being confident with the person you are ... and if you’re not happy with yourself you won’t be happy no matter how much weight you lose PHOTOS TETSURO MITOMO 070713-TM-119

7

PHOTO TETSURO MITOMO 070713-TM-097

Above – Bronagh’s dream is to help girls battling the same demons she faced.

Left – Bronagh Slane left professional dance after seeing many of her friends fall victim to body image pressures, but nothing could stop her from dancing.

body issue YOU

8

It took an unexpected heart problem for Cath Gill to realise she needed to change her life. She’s lost weight, eats better and exercises more, and now she feels and looks great. Erin Tasker reports.

Cath

Health scare prompts C

ath Gill used to think of herself as “a bit overweight and a bit lazy”.

But a heart incident changed her thinking. She realised she could be, and should be, living a healthier life. So now she is.

Cath learnt the hard way that heart problems aren’t limited to the overweight and elderly and she’s hoping that by telling her story, others might learn from it.

At just 55 she suffered what she’s been told by doctors was a heart incident.

It came out of the blue – January 23 last year and Cath had gone to the gym a er finishing work, something she tried to do four mes a week.

She’d been feeling a bit red but didn’t think anything of it.

As she headed home from the gym she felt like she was ge ng a migraine.

“I pulled into the garage and felt really quite dizzy and I couldn’t focus,” she said.

“But it s ll didn’t occur to me that it might have been a heart a ack.

“I went to get out of the car and felt like I couldn’t stand, so I actually called an ambulance and they came and checked me out.”

Cath didn’t know it at the me, but her blood pressure was low. She was taken to Ashburton Hospital. It wasn’t a heart a ack, but the news s ll wasn’t good. A week later Cath was sent to Christchurch Hospital with no idea what the outcome was going to be.

She was surprised to find there were three blockages in her heart and she required three stents to be inserted. Stents are like li le springs that are fed through the arm, into the heart and blow up like a balloon where there are blockages.

Cath was on the mend and three weeks later she was back at work, on reduced hours. Life was ge ng back to normal but the health scare was enough to make her change her life. She knew she had to lose weight and take a healthier approach to life.

“It doesn’t pick and choose. It’s amazing, a lot of people think that it’s because you’re overweight, but in all fairness, it’s food choices,” she said.

Before her scare, Cath didn’t consider herself unhealthy.

“I thought I was reasonably healthy, although I felt like I was a bit overweight and a bit lazy,” she said.

She liked her cakes and biscuits and would have fast food every now and then, but largely she ate well – lots of meat and veges.

The health scare was a wake-up call that maybe things weren’t as rosy with her body as

It may have taken a massive health scare, but Cath Gill is now a fitter, slimmer, healthier woman.

she’d previously thought, so she decided it was me to make a change.

She began the 12-week Curves Complete programme – a new weight management programme at Curves women’s gym. It gets par cipants ea ng healthy, exercising and gives them one-on-one coaching to keep them on track.

For Cath it was about ge ng rid of some bad habits and building new, be er habits. It was something that needed to be done slowly, to

ensure the changes lasted. Now, 18 months on from her health scare she’s almost 10kg lighter and feeling good.

She s ll goes to the gym four mes a week but she now also aims to walk at least 10,000 steps a day, something that has been easy to incorporate into her everyday life. Instead of driving to the shop, she’ll walk, and instead of taking the short way home, she’ll go the long way.

There are days she doesn’t feel like it, par cu-

in

PHOTO TETSURO MITOMO 010713-TM-086

larly now the weather’s cooler, but it’s important not to find excuses and put things off un l tomorrow, Cath says.

She can’t believe how much be er she feels and she now has a posi ve outlook on life. She tries not to stress and takes things in her stride.

She’s been given the all clear by her doctor. Her heart’s on the mend and her doctor is happy with the weight she is now.

Weight plays a part in the cases of many with

he ju an st ju A ev w th

YOU

9

“

Let your food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food

into action

E

heart problems, but Cath knows it’s more than just that. She knows it can happen to anyone and wants everyone to know the importance of staying healthy, because you never know what’s just around the corner.

A lighter, happier Cath is like a new woman and even now she’s surprised to see the changes when she looks at old photos, but she’s gone through a lot to get to that point.

magazine g

h

the natural way you

e .

Her

Dealing with weight issues a ng a well-balanced healthy diet has many advantages, promo ng good health, reduc on in a myriad of health condi ons, weight reduc on and more energy and vitality.

It is well-known that certain dietary prac ces can cause or prevent a wide range of diseases.

Weight issues are a complex issue that is affec ng so many today.

Overweight/obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol and high stress can all be categorised into what is known as the metabolic syndrome which is now a major health issue of the 20th century.

The metabolic syndrome is predominantly due to our modern dietary and lifestyle pracces and is classified as a syndrome consis ng of a combina on of obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood glucose levels, which is a result of our diet and sedentary lifestyle, and the general cause of ea ng incorrectly.

The metabolic syndrome can also be a cause of many other health condi ons as well, like female health Issues, inflammatory condi-

086

ant

– Hippocrates

NATURALLY YOU JANE LOGIE is a medicinal herbalist and clinical nutritionist ons, sleep disorders, thyroid dysfunc on, and gastrointes nal ailments to name but a few.

By modifying and changing some of our modern dietary prac ces this can increase our life expectancy and reduce a number of health condi ons. In par cular reducing sugar and refined carbohydrates where possible, can have an impact on avoiding the metabolic syndrome.

By targe ng our weight and ge ng it under control and consuming a more plant-based diet with lean meat, fruit and nuts and a reduc on in saturated fat we can also see our overall health improve.

Issues with addi onal weight can be a simple solu on for some or a complex scenario for others.

Any diet is difficult to sustain, what does work is to try to achieve a realis c goal of ea ng healthy the majority of the me, and indulging in what was once known as treats, to be kept to minimum.

This can enable an individual to maintain a more balanced diet and within their ideal weight range more easily.

Bearing in mind that there are also many scenarios that contribute to the inability to maintain a consistent weight, such as struggles with appe te, low metabolic rate, gut toxicity, stress, chemical overload, lack of exercise, lack

of mo va on, metabolic acidosis, food addicon that occurs at a biochemical level in the body, and a reduc on in the level of serotonin (the ‘happy’ brain chemical) influencing ea ng behaviour.

Dietary nutri onal deficiencies, such as lack of essen al fa y acids, fibre, protein, chromium, and iodine may lead to a reduc on in lean muscle and an increase in body fat.

Hormonal imbalance which includes thyroid, insulin sensi vity, steroidal and oestrogen and progesterone imbalance may affect and increase weight.

Diets low in protein, which is a source of the happy chemical serotonin, can increase appe te and the need to eat carbohydrate type food for comfort. Psychological factors can also influence the need to binge eat for emo onal sa ety.

For some a change in dietary healthy-ea ng habits and increase in movement or exercise can be the right formula for them to achieve their ideal weight, for others there can be many contribu ng factors that can prevent them from achieving their correct body weight with ease.

As those people will say, it is not as easy as ea ng healthy and exercising. It then becomes a more complex problem to solve.

We as humans are meant to move to obtain our food, whereas today we don’t need to hunt and gather it, as it is conveniently there for us on the shelf when we so require it.

Overweight rates began skyrocke ng in the 80s and have reportedly not looked back. Now 60 per cent of all Australians and New Zealand ci zens are considered overweight or obese.

Convenience food does have its downside for our western civilised popula on. We are supposed to eat what nature has provided in propor onate amounts, in other words ea ng when the body is hungry for fuel, rather than the fact that it is conveniently there on the shelf.

The fact that so many people are overweight is, mostly, because we eat more calories per day than our actual requirements.

So move as o en as you can in the ac vity that you enjoy the most. Humans are made to move.

rules

12 10

body YOU issue foodies YOU

When self-hatred

your life

Overeaters Anonymous set her free Overeaters Anonymous’ (OA) most valued tradition is personal anonymity. This means that the fellowship itself is not anonymous, but its members are. We can’t use her real name, but one OA member has told her story to Erin Tasker.

B

eth used to wake up every day with thoughts of ending it all.

She was caught in a seemingly neverending ba le with food and her body.

Beth was a compulsive eater. Once she started ea ng, she couldn’t stop.

She was a binge eater. Her weight seesawed as she went through phases of bingeing, then die ng. No-one knew, not even her husband.

She hid away from the world; she was lonely and felt different from everyone else.

But in 1980, at age 37, she discovered Overeaters Anonymous (OA). Now, she lives a much happier life – a life where everything she eats is carefully measured and weighed. There’s no morning tea, no a ernoon tea. She eats three meals a day and that’s it. And unlike her earlier years, she’s no longer tempted by food.

OA is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from compulsive overea ng. She didn’t know it for the first 37 years of her life, but that’s exactly what

Beth needed. It’s pa erned on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop ea ng compulsively. Beth had that in spades, although it took a while to realise it.

There’s no dues or fees; OA is self-suppor ng through their own contribu ons. Beth has now been a part of the fellowship for 33 years.

“I can’t remember a happy me in those 37 years before I came to OA,” she said. She was always full of fear, resentment, anger, guilt and self-hatred.

Beth had a disease; an addic on. It started young. Beth recalled raiding people’s ns while visi ng them when she was as young as five or six, taking as much as she could without being no ced.

She had some control over her weight when she was young because she played sport and was ac ve.

When she got married at age 22, she weighed nine stone (51kg).

“And I’m very tall so that was very, very skinny for me,” she said.

“My thought on that day, and I can s ll remember it, was ‘thank God, now I can eat’, and I binged at our wedding breakfast and put on a stone in the week when we went on our honeymoon.

“I can’t remember doing any excessive ea ng, but I obviously had.

“I got home and thought ‘well, I’ve done it before, I can do it again’, which was the dieting trick. I was quite convinced every me I binged I’d never do it again because I was quite able and educated and that it was all about willpower.”

But she’d wake up in the morning craving food. She was obsessed with it and every day was a struggle; a struggle that got worse as the years went by.

She read all the help books she could, she prayed to God to lose the weight, and eventually turned to Weight Watchers, where she lost weight and became a leader. But she s ll wasn’t in a good place. con nued next page

YOU It was reading a magazine ar cle about OA that changed things. It led her to take the major step of wri ng a le er enquiring if there was an OA in Christchurch, and received a phone call in response. The woman calling wanted to come and see her, but for Beth that was too big a step.

So the woman told her her story over the phone and although it sounded all too familiar to Beth, she s ll wasn’t ready.

Three weeks later the woman called back to see how she was and Beth decided to a end a mee ng.

“I listened to people’s sharing and couldn’t believe it because I iden fied with them all. There were all these people out there doing exactly what I did,” she said.

“For the first me in my life I thought ‘I’ve found a place where other people are like me’.”

She was no longer alone a er years of being so unhappy she o en felt she couldn’t go on.

“I would wake up in the mornings for the last several years of my food career and I would not want to be awake,” she said.

“I didn’t try to take my own life, but I thought that if I had the pills I would take enough that I just wouldn’t wake up.”

She’d become a great actor on the outside, but on the inside she was in turmoil.

11 “The one me I tried for help was when I was under a specialist having my third child. I said ‘some mes I start to eat and I can’t stop’, and he said ‘use willpower,” Beth said.

“When he said that I felt like I was ge ng shut up in jail because it took so much courage for me to say that to him.”

So for the next 12 or 13 years, she kept ea ng.

But now, thanks to OA, she’s free from that addic on.

“I don’t wake up in the mornings today wan ng to be dead and I haven’t got a weight problem,” she said.

She’s no longer tempted by food; she s cks fully to her food plan and is a strong person who is now helping others going through what she went through in the first half of her life.

She’s always been spiritual and she believes in a higher power; a power greater than herself because it allowed her to stop compulsively ea ng.

She follows the 12 steps and has made amends for all the lies and stealing she did.

OA, she said, was for desperate people, not people who just wanted to lose a few pounds.

She was desperate when she turned up to her first mee ng in August, 1980.

Today, she’s free.

From the beginning The first OA mee ng was held in 1960 in Los Angeles, California. Since then it has grown to about 6500 mee ngs in over 75 countries – about 54,000 members.

The first Overeaters Anonymous mee ng in Canterbury was started in 1979 in Christchurch.

An OA group meets once a week in Ashburton.

It caters for those who eat compulsively, and those who suffer from other ea ng disorders.

For more informa on on Overeaters Anonymous, email oacanterbury@yahoo.co.nz or telephone (03) 365-3812.

The twelve steps The twelve steps (adapted from the Alcoholics Anonymous programme): 1– We admi ed we were powerless over food — that our lives had become unmanageable.

2– Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3– Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. 4– Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5– Admi ed to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6– Were en rely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

7– Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

8– Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

9– Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10 – Con nued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admi ed it.

11 – Sought through prayer and medita on to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

12 – Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive overeaters and to prac ce these principles in all our affairs.

body issue YOU

12

Sandra Quinn helps Mid Canterbury people lose weight and get healthier, and she knows what she’s talking about. She’s been there, done that. Erin Tasker reports.

Hidden away

denial S

andra Quinn lost 70kg and now she’s helping other Mid Cantabrians fight their weight ba les.

She’s an Ashburton Weight Watchers leader and she knows just how hard it can be to lose weight and keep it off.

She has a pair of size 28 jeans at home and can’t remember being that big, but she does remember the moment she knew she had to lose weight. She saw a photo of herself from behind.

“I thought ‘oh no, I’m humungous’. But I think we try to block it out,” she said.

She knew she was big, but like many, was in denial and happy just to stay at home hidden from the world.

“When I was at home I was happy because I just blobbed out in my around-home clothes.

But it affected me when I went out. I wouldn’t go out because I didn’t have anything nice to wear,” she said.

When she did have a night out, she wouldn’t dare go on the dance floor out of fear of what people would think.

It’s a story familiar to the many she’s now helping.

People come to her with one goal – to lose weight. That can be achieved by healthy ea ng, healthy rou nes and exercise.

Sandra said it wasn’t about cu ng out all bad food, it was about knowing when enough was enough. Tempta ons may need to be removed for a while, un l you know you’re strong enough to bring them back without overindulging.

It involves recognising problem environments

– like people who snack in the car or at work – and changing them.

But bad habits were hard to break, and good ones were hard to keep.

“It takes 21 goes to form a good habit and two goes to break it,” she said.

For some, it takes a couple of journeys to find their groove.

“Some mes they’re a bit embarrassed because they were doing so well and they let their guard down, but when they come back they see everyone’s there for the same reason,” Sandra said.

Sandra herself knows how easy it can be to fall back into bad habits.

“I’ve put on probably 10kg which lets them know I am human,” she said.

“I can relate to them and know exactly what

they are going through.”

People needed to take ownership of their weight – at the end of the day you wear what you eat, Sandra said.

She sees people who want to lose anywhere from 5kg up, and o en 5kg could be as hard to lose as 70kg.

Weight-loss groups o en a ract more women than men, but Sandra said she’d like to see more men take the step that could save their lives.

“It’s their health, it’s their future and it’s their family, but it’s a macho thing not to do it,” she said.

That was an a tude that needed to change.

Ashburton Weight Watchers meets twice a week at the Buffalo Lodge – 6pm on Mondays and 9.30am on Tuesdays.

YOU

13

Fat is as fat does I

you

’m FAT??? Really? Oh thank venom. No, I think not. The goodness you told me, ladies would’ve choked on I wouldn’t have known their sherry. otherwise.

My argument, which I get Buying XXXXXXXXXXXXXXL to eventually, is that fat does clothes gives me no hint at not equal stupid or ugly or, all, I thought the mirrors were necessarily, a gorger. You’re lying. stupid if you fall into that These days it’s okay to say “assump on” trap. Bigger ‘hey, you’re fat’, due, in part I people know that they need believe, to all the publicity to trim down, they want to about fat equalling unhealthy. trim down ... but wan ng Fatness is about as popular as and doing are two different an offal and brussels sprouts things.

MUM ON THE RUN meal.

A doctor telling you to lose

BY LISA FENWICK And yes, of course it’s not weight is about as useful as a healthy to be overweight. If shower cap in a flood. anyone knows that, it’s overweight people.

I know people whose every waking thought is Trust me, it was not my burning life’s ambiabout weight and the dream of losing it. on to be bigger. When my mother’s friends I know a lady who is so ashamed of her sat drinking sherry in the lounge smiling inanely weight that she doesn’t want to leave her at me and asking what I wanted to do when I house. grew up, I did not spit out “be FAT and get on She sees slights where there may or may not The Biggest Loser TV show” with appropriate be any, she feels everyone is looking at her and magazine g

“

mentally pu ng her down, with a self-esteem so low it would be hard to imagine her managing to pick it up. She refuses to make friends because she doesn’t feel anyone would want to be her friend. It is no way to live. And the sad thing is that while she is big, she’s nowhere near as big as some I have seen about town, and she is such a pre y lady.

She’s tried every diet in the book, tried every exercise ... but she just goes around in circles.

And I’m not even going into the psychology of that, just to open myself up to some flaming skinny purists who believe, with a sneer, that it’s all about willpower. That’s bollocks.

I know of an Ashburton teacher who has made comments about some of her bigger pupils. She’s so lucky I was not in the classroom at the me.

When did it become okay to put people down?

Pu ng them down doesn’t immediately make them rush out and buy carrot s cks and bean sprouts. It makes them feel like scum on the bo om of your shoe. It’s a shame really

because it’s not them behaving like scum.

I’m sure that if I rocked up to you and said, “Y’know you should do something about that moustache, it just doesn’t seem to suit women.” Or, “You should stop rubbing your head, it doesn’t make you brighter it makes you bald” that you could be a tad offended. It could even be considered mean and prejudiced. Really?

One rule for one ..? The assump on being that overweight people just need some restraint.

It seems that if it’s trendy to be in the “different” zone you’re okay ... but if you are bigger, you are disgus ng.

You must eat 60 pies for breakfast and have chocolate stored under your bed ... is that right? I’ve seen skinny people who can pack away twice as much as me on a bad day.

Well, I’d be a li le bit careful of the inclina on to make your disgust known by all and sundry, because unless you have reached the pinnacle of physical perfec on, you may find it be er not to throw “stones” unless you want a bigger one heading your way aimed for right between your eyes.

I’m not even going into the psychology of that, just to open myself up to some flaming skinny purists who believe, with a sneer, that it’s all about willpower. That’s bollocks

YOU body issue

14

Seven day health

transformation

Kickstart lifestyle changes safely and healthily with this week-long plan.

You’ll improve your posture, beautify your skin, overhaul your diet and more Day 1: SET GOALS Even the lovely Beyonce couldn’t achieve her svelte figure if she didn’t set some realis c goals. You might have read that you need to set some solid targets if you want to lose weight, but have you actually ever set some? Most people skip this stage of losing weight and never manage to s ck to their diets as a result.

Start this body makeover plan by se ng at least one. So, think about what you want to achieve. Do you want to lose 2.2kg, 3.3kg, 22kg? Do you want to be able to run a mile in eight minutes? Do you want to drop a dress size?

Create a chart where you can monitor your progress weekly. Also, set smaller goals that help you work towards achieving your main goal and add these to the chart. Se ng up a rewards system is also good. For example, every me you meet a mini goal, treat yourself to a new book, a trip to the cinema or a new piece of gorgeous clothing.

Day 2: ADDRESS YOUR DIET The last thing you should do is cut your kilojoules dras cally. If you do, your metabolism will slow down and you will also lose muscle mass. This means that once you return to ea ng normally again you will not burn off as many kilojoules as you used to and you may gain weight.

There is no exact number of kilojoules you should be consuming if you want to lose weight because everyone requires different amounts.

However, the general propor on of kilojoules that should be provided by each of the major nutrients stays roughly the same for most people, as follows: 20 to 30 per cent fat.

50 to 65 per cent carbohydrate.

12 to 17 per cent protein.

However, according to research, when you are die ng and trying to lose fat you should adapt these amounts to the following: 20 to 25 per cent fat intake.

50 to 60 per cent carbohydrate intake.

Remainder from protein (usually meaning protein intake will be a li le higher).

To cut your fat intake by roughly 5 per cent, limit the amount of fat-heavy sauces and processed meats you eat. Don’t cut out healthy dairy products though. It is thought that calcium can

promote weight loss. To ensure you eat enough protein, eat lean meat, eggs, fish and nuts, and eat wholegrain foods like brown rice and wheat bread to get your daily fix of carbohydrates.

Day 3: OVERHAUL YOUR EXERCISE REGIME

Swea ng it out on a treadmill every evening isn’t much fun and it’s also not the best way to makeover your body. Rest is the key ingredient in any training programme and you need to let your body recover a er a training session.

Ideally, you should have at least one rest day following each workout to facilitate recovery and to avoid fa gue and boredom.

Create your training plan so that you can schedule your sessions around your busy week.

Aim to do about four sessions a week, doing a mix of cardio and weight training exercises.

Finding something you love to do is the key to success when it comes to exercise. Try new sports, such as rock climbing, skipping or rollerblading, a end some fitness classes and experiment with your exercise regime.

Day 4: BEAUTIFY YOUR BODY No makeover plan would be complete without a beauty sec on because no ma er how toned your body becomes and no ma er how much weight you shed, if you don’t give your body a li le TLC you will never feel bodyconfident.

Cellulite affects as many as 80 per cent of women. Although it’s difficult to completely rid skin of that orange-peel look, you can help reduce the appearance of it. You can body brush, drink more water and eat foods containing essen al fa y acids, such as flaxseed oil and oily fish, to banish cellulite from your body.

Tackle any spots or acne you have. Applying an ice cube can help reduce the swelling and redness of the odd annoying spot, but if you suffer from acne research suggests that spearmint tea could reduce acne and hormone imbalances in women.

Today, you should target certain areas of your body, whether it’s your skin or your hair, that you want to improve and that will help you feel beau ful in your birthday suit.

Day 5: IMPROVE YOUR POSTURE Poor posture can lead to health problems and can make you look less a rac ve. If you think you might be a sloucher, regularly realign your spine with this simple exercise. Stand with your back against a wall, keep your feet flat and tuck in your chin. Then walk away from the wall and see how long you can maintain this posture for.

Strengthening your thigh muscles and your abdominal muscles will help you to maintain a good posture and doing ac vi es like Pilates and yoga can help you to stop slouching.

Day 6: ENJOY If you enjoy doing something you are far more likely to dedicate me to it. Finding a way to enjoy your new body makeover plan is essen al if you want to maintain the posi ve changes.

Love music? Then create great playlists to accompany your exercise sessions. If you love a good gossip, find a makeover buddy who also wants to change the way they look and who can follow the plan alongside you. If you’re a crea ve soul star ng a blog might help you get the most out of your plan.

Day 7: PULL IT ALL TOGETHER

Think about ways you can incorporate all of the elements you have learned into a structured plan your diet and exercise, your beauty regime and your posture. Remember, before you begin you must set a goal. Your makeover plan should be a lot easier to create once you have something to aim towards.

For lifestyle news see www.realbuzz.com

YOU configure

advertising feature

15

Rocking any outfit she chooses Hell hath no fury like a ǁŽŵĂŶ ƐĐŽƌŶĞĚ͕ ďƵƚ ĂŌĞƌ ĂŶ ĞŵŽƟŽŶĂůůLJ ƚŽƵŐŚ LJĞĂƌ ǁŚŝĐŚ ƌĞƐƵůƚĞĚ ŝŶ Ă ƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐŚŝƉ ďƌĞĂŬͲƵƉ͕ :Ž /ƌĞůĂŶĚ ĚĞĐŝĚĞĚ ƚŽ ĨŽĐƵƐ ŚĞƌ ĞŶĞƌŐLJ ŽŶ Ă ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ŽƵƚĐŽŵĞ͕ ĂŶĚ ƐƚĞƉƉĞĚ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ƚŚĞ ĚŽŽƌ Ăƚ ŽŶĮŐƵƌĞ džƉƌĞƐƐ͘

ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞŶ ƵƉͲŐƌĂĚĞĚ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƌĞĂŬ ƉůĂŶ͕ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŝƐ Ă ĨƵůů ŶƵƚƌŝƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ĞdžĞƌĐŝƐĞ ƉůĂŶ͕ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ ƉĞƌƐŽŶĂů ƚƌĂŝŶĞƌ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶƐ͘ /͛ŵ ƐƚĂƌƟŶŐ ƚŽ ƌĞĂůůLJ ĞŶũŽLJ ƚŚĞ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵŵĞƐ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ǁĞŝŐŚƚ ŵĂĐŚŝŶĞƐ͘ / ĐĂŶ ůŝŌ ŵƵĐŚ ŚĞĂǀŝĞƌ ǁĞŝŐŚƚƐ ĂŶĚ ďĞŝŶŐ ƐƚƌŽŶŐĞƌ ŝƐ ĂŶ ĂŵĂnjŝŶŐ ĨĞĞůŝŶŐ͕͟ :Ž ƐĂŝĚ͘

:Ž ŝƐ ŽŶĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĨƌŝĞŶĚůLJ ĨĂĐĞƐ LJŽƵ ǁŝůů ƐĞĞ Ăƚ ŽƵŶƚĚŽǁŶ ^ƵƉĞƌŵĂƌŬĞƚ͕ /ƚ͛Ɛ Ă ĚĞƚĞƌŵŝŶĞĚ ǁŽŵĂŶ ǁŚŽ ƐƚĂƌƚƐ ĂŶĚ ŝƐ ƚŚƌŝůůĞĚ ƐŚĞ ŚĂƐ ŵĂŶĂŐĞĚ ƚŽ a health crusade only a few weeks ďĞĨŽƌĞ ŚƌŝƐƚŵĂƐ͕ ďƵƚ :Ž ĚĞĐŝĚĞĚ ƚŚĂƚ ĮŶĚ Ă ǁŽƌŬ ĂŶĚ ůŝĨĞ ďĂůĂŶĐĞ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĂůůŽǁƐ ŚĞƌ ƚŽ ƌĞŐƵůĂƌůLJ ĂƩĞŶĚ ƐŚĞ ǁĂƐ ƟƌĞĚ ŽĨ ĨĞĞůŝŶŐ ůŽƵƐLJ͕ ĂŶĚ ŽŶĮŐƵƌĞ džƉƌĞƐƐ͘ ǁĂŶƚĞĚ ƚŽ ĚŽ ƐŽŵĞƚŚŝŶŐ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ ŚĞƌƐĞůĨ ĨĞĞů ďĞƩĞƌ ƚŽ ƌĞͲďƵŝůĚ ŚĞƌ ͞/ ǁŽƌŬ ĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚ ŚŽƵƌƐ͕ ďƵƚ /͛ǀĞ ĐŽŶĮĚĞŶĐĞ͘ ĨŽƵŶĚ ŝƚ ĞĂƐLJ ƚŽ ƐĐŚĞĚƵůĞ ŐŽŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ŐLJŵ ŝŶ ǁŝƚŚ ŵLJ ƐŚŝŌ ĐŚĂŶŐĞƐ͘ / ƌĞĂůůLJ dŚŽƐĞ ǁĞĞŬƐ ůĞĂĚŝŶŐ ƵƉ ƚŽ ůŝŬĞ ƚŚĂƚ ŝƚ͛Ɛ ĂŶ ĂůůͲǁŽŵĞŶ ŐLJŵ ƚŽŽ͘ / Christmas were the best few weeks ŽŶ ŚĞƌ ŚĞĂůƚŚ ĂŶĚ ǁĞůůͲďĞŝŶŐ ũŽƵƌŶĞLJ ĚŽŶ͛ƚ ĞǀĞƌ ĨĞĞů ƐĞůĨͲĐŽŶƐĐŝŽƵƐ ƚŚĞƌĞ͕ ƐŽ ĨĂƌ͕ ĂŶĚ ŶŽǁ Ăƚ ϭϬŬŐ ůŝŐŚƚĞƌ͕ ƐŚĞ ŝƐ and all of the trainers are friendly ƌĞĂƉŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ďĞŶĞĮƚƐ ŽĨ ŚĞƌ ŚĂƌĚ ǁŽƌŬ ĂŶĚ ŚĞůƉĨƵů͘ ĞŝŶŐ ƉĂƌƚ ŽĨ Ă ĨƌŝĞŶĚůLJ ĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ ĚĞĮŶŝƚĞůLJ ŵĂŬĞƐ ŝƚ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŵŵŝƚŵĞŶƚ͘ ĞĂƐŝĞƌ ƚŽ ŬĞĞƉ ŐŽŝŶŐ͕ ĂŶĚ ŶŽǁ / ůŽŽŬ ͞&Žƌ ŵĞ ŵLJ ũŽƵƌŶĞLJ ǁĂƐ ŵŽƌĞ ĨŽƌǁĂƌĚ ƚŽ ŵLJ ǁŽƌŬŽƵƚƐ͕͟ :Ž ƐĂŝĚ͘ ĂďŽƵƚ ĨĞĞůŝŶŐ Įƚ ĂŶĚ ŚĞĂůƚŚLJ ƌĂƚŚĞƌ ƚŚĂŶ ĨŽĐƵƐŝŶŐ ŽŶ ůŽƐŝŶŐ ǁĞŝŐŚƚ͕ ĂŶĚ KŶĞ ŽĨ :Ž͛Ɛ ŐƌĞĂƚĞƐƚ ǁĞŝŐŚƚ ůŽƐƐ ŶŽǁ / ĨĞĞů ĨĂŶƚĂƐƟĐ͘ ŵŽŵĞŶƚƐ ĐĂŵĞ ĂƐ Ă ƉůĞĂƐĂŶƚ ƐƵƌƉƌŝƐĞ ƚŚĂƚ ƐŚĞ ǁŝůů ŶĞǀĞƌ ĨŽƌŐĞƚ͘ ͞/ ƐƚĂƌƚĞĚ ŽŶ Ă ĐĂƐƵĂů ŵĞŵďĞƌƐŚŝƉ͕

͞/ ǁĂƐ Ăƚ ǁŽƌŬ ǁŚĞŶ ƚŚĞ ŽǁŶĞƌ ŽĨ ĞƉĞĐŚĞ DŽĚĞ ƐĂŝĚ ƚŚĂƚ ƐŚĞ ũƵƐƚ ŚĂĚ Ă ŶĞǁ ĂƌƌŝǀĂů ĐŽŵĞ ŝŶ ƐƚŽƌĞ ƚŚĂƚ ƐŚĞ ƚŚŽƵŐŚƚ ǁŽƵůĚ ůŽŽŬ ŐƌĞĂƚ ŽŶ ŵĞ͘ / ǁĞŶƚ ŝŶ ƚŽ ŚĂǀĞ Ă ůŽŽŬ͕ ĂŶĚ ŝƚ ǁĂƐ Ă ĚƌĞƐƐ ǁŚŝĐŚ / ŶĞǀĞƌ ǁŽƵůĚ ŚĂǀĞ ĞǀĞŶ ĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌĞĚ ŵLJƐĞůĨ͘ / ƚƌŝĞĚ ŝƚ ŽŶ ĂŶĚ ŝƚ Įƚ ůŝŬĞ Ă ŐůŽǀĞ ĂŶĚ ůŽŽŬĞĚ ĂŵĂnjŝŶŐ͊ /͛ǀĞ ŶĞǀĞƌ ĨĞůƚ ƐŽ ǁŽŶĚĞƌĨƵů ŝŶ Ăůů ŽĨ ŵLJ ůŝĨĞ͘ /ƚ ǁĂƐ ƐƵĐŚ Ă ŐƌĞĂƚ ĨĞĞůŝŶŐ͘ ůů ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĞīŽƌƚ / ŚĂĚ ƉƵƚ ŝŶƚŽ ďĞŝŶŐ ĮƩĞƌ ĂŶĚ ŚĞĂůƚŚŝĞƌ ŚĂƐ ŶŽǁ ŵĂĚĞ ƐŚŽƉƉŝŶŐ ƐŽ ŵƵĐŚ ŵŽƌĞ ĞŶũŽLJĂďůĞ͕ / ůŽǀĞ ŝƚ͊͟ :Ž ŝƐ ƐƟůů Ă ƌĞŐƵůĂƌ Ăƚ ŽŶĮŐƵƌĞ džƉƌĞƐƐ ĂƐ ƐŚĞ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞƐ ŚĞƌ ũŽƵƌŶĞLJ ƚŽǁĂƌĚ ďĞŝŶŐ Ă ĮƩĞƌ ĂŶĚ ŚĞĂůƚŚŝĞƌ ǀĞƌƐŝŽŶ ŽĨ ŚĞƌƐĞůĨ͕ ĂŶĚ ůŝǀĞƐ ďLJ ŚĞƌ ĨĂǀŽƵƌŝƚĞ ƋƵŽƚĞ͘ ͞/͛ŵ ŶŽƚ ƚƌLJŝŶŐ ƚŽ ůŽŽŬ ƉĞƌĨĞĐƚ͕ / ũƵƐƚ ǁĂŶƚ ƚŽ ĨĞĞů ďĞƩĞƌ͕ ůŽŽŬ ŐƌĞĂƚ͕ ŬŶŽǁ /͛ŵ ŚĞĂůƚŚLJ ĂŶĚ ďĞ ĂďůĞ ƚŽ ƌŽĐŬ ĂŶLJ ŽƵƞŝƚ / ĐŚŽŽƐĞ͘͟

GREAT RESULTS

GUARANTEED Level 3, Somerset House on Burnett Street, 03 307 7030 | www.configureexpress.co.nz

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

The Gym for Women

16

YOU transform

advertising feature

Threatening Moles y magazine APPEARANCE MEDICINE

BY IAN LITTLE

Dr Ian Li le knows from personal experience the threat that melanoma poses.

He sees it among some of the pa ents who visit Transform Clinic where he prac ses appearance medicine but his encounter with melanoma some years ago was even closer to home than that.

His wife, Jenny, no ced a small black speck on his back and insisted he had it removed by a colleague. A biopsy revealed the blemish to be malignant. “If she hadn’t been so observant, I would most likely be dead by now. She saved my life,� he says.

It is a chilling reality that New Zealand and Australia have the highest incidence of melanoma in the world. “The average resident of these countries has a 50 per cent chance of developing skin cancer of some sort,� he says. “There is a real fear of melanoma, a condi on that is more common as one gets older. However, it is preventable if people act on it early. That is when it is far more treatable. “People need to examine themselves for signs of abnormal skin changes. They should be looking for something that starts with a dark mark, which is growing in size, has an irregular outline, is itchy or bleeding, or is very, very black.�

Those who had been sunburnt regularly or severely in their youth increased the chance of developing melanoma later in life. “That is why it is important for parents to ensure their children are protected from the sun with adequate sun protec on with sun screens and clothing from an early age,� Li le says.

People had a natural fear that skin abnormali es would be diagnosed as malignant yet most of those examined at the clinic were found to be benign.

Those who had concerns could visit Transform Clinic and have a mole scanned

by SIAscopy equipment that provides early detec on of melanoma. The moles can be measured and charted for follow-up examina on at a later date to establish whether further ac on needed to be taken.

If treatment is required, Transform Clinic provides a comprehensive minor surgery service for the removal blemishes, seborrhoeic warts, moles, tags and skin cancers. Suspicious lesions are sent for histological examina on by a pathologist.

Minor surgery for removal of lesions that is deemed to be a medical necessity and not a cosme c procedure are o en covered by private health insurance plans, says Li le who has postgraduate training and a cer ficate in primary care skin cancer surgery from the University of Queensland.

t 4LJO 3FKVWFOBUJPO t 'SBYFM -BTFS t -BTFST *1t $PTNFUJD *OKFDUBCMFT t #PUVMJOVN 5SFBUNFOUT t 7BSJDPTF 7FJOT 4PVUIFSO $SPTT "Ä?MJBUJPO

t 1IPUP %ZOBNJD ćFSBQZ t 'PDVTFE 6MUSBTPVOE MJQPQMBTUZ 'BU SFEVDUJPO

MPPLHPPE B .BOEFWJMMF 4USFFU 3JDDBSUPO

Those requiring benign ssue to be removed for cosme c reasons can have the procedure done with a minimum of discomfort.

Surgitron is a radio-surgery technique for removing benign ssue by shaving it without bleeding or sutures to minimise scarring.

Treatment is eected under local anaesthe c.

In photodynamic treatment, a solu on (called a photo-sensi ser) is applied to an unwanted growth and then exposed selec vely to light. The ac ve response to this exposure destroys any ssue that has taken up the photo-sens ser while leaving normal ssue untouched.

Transform Clinic recommends you check your skin regularly for any changes; when outside protect your skin with sun block minimum SPF 15+, remembering that with all sun protec on products you need to repeat applica on of the product throughout the day – check the label. Apply sun block liberally.

Wear hats and protec ve clothing.

Transform Clinic is located at 52a Mandeville Street, Riccarton, Christchurch.

Phone 0800 256 654 (03 343 2880) www.transformclinic.co.nz

t .PMF .BQQJOH t %FSNBUFDI 4LJO $BSF t #FBVUZ 5SFBUNFOUT t &WFOJOH .BLFVQ t (JÄ™ 7PVDIFST $BMM OPX GPS UIJT NPOUI T TQFDJBMT .FEJDBM DSJUFSJB BQQMJFT 4FF PVS XFCTJUF GPS GVSUIFS JOGPSNBUJPO

XXX USBOTGPSNDMJOJD DP O[

YOU beauty

17

Be the most beautiful woman in the room

W

e all have mes when we don’t feel so confident, but it is possible to ditch your low self-esteem and feel more beau ful. Whether you’re heading to an event, the office or out on a date, here are 10 ways to feel instantly gorgeous.

– Stop obsessing We girls can o en be our own worst enemies, which is disastrous for our self-esteem. To make sure your

confidence is at an all me high, avoid obsessing in front of the mirror.

– List your best quali es To help you stop focusing on your least favourite features, it is helpful to switch the focus to the things you do like about yourself. Whether it’s your flat stomach, your warm personality or your shiny hair, try to bring to mind any compliments you have had in the past, and write up a list of the reasons you should feel hot.

Our easy, DƪRUGDEOH laser eye surgery could give you A NEW OUTLOOK ON LIFE. Talk to us today about a

FREE ASSESSMENT

Ph 0800 52 73 71

– Wear red According to a survey by the Bri sh Heart Founda on, women feel more confident when they wear something red. Over a third of the women surveyed said the colour red made them feel at their most confident. Whether you prefer red lips ck, red nails or a red dress or heels, strut your stuff in something red to help you look and feel your best.

– Fake it So you’re s ll not feeling very confident?

No-one need ever know! To feel like the ho est girl in the room, you need to give the impression that’s what you are – and that all comes down to projecting confidence. As Italian screen legend Sophia Loren said, “Sex appeal is 50 per cent what you’ve got and 50 per cent what people think you’ve got.” Smile lots, chat with new people and give the impression of generally being at ease with yourself and you will increase your a rac veness.

– Have a last-minute workout Though regular exercise is the best route to a great body, some last-minute toning before an event can help you look and feel be er. To emphasise any muscles on show and/or stomach muscles, give them a workout with some last-minute targeted exercises, such as sit-ups and lunges. The rush of blood to your muscles will temporarily ghten them up to leave them looking more defined. Not only that, the

–

–

–

–

endorphins released will help you feel more self-confident.

Best foot forward To increase your self-esteem it can help to make an extra effort to accentuate your best features. As well as making the most of your body shape, you can also use your make-up to emphasise your best facial features. Play up your eyes or lips or enhance your killer cheekbones with some contouring make-up.

Pamper yourself Indulging in a bit of pampering is a great way to get in a happy frame of mind and feel great about your appearance.

Try some easy at-home pampering treatments such as a body scrub, deep condi oning hair treatment, milk bath or DIY facial to give yourself a natural glow.

Get a celebrity smile Research has found people who smile more are considered more a rac ve.

However, if your teeth are looking a li le yellow, you can s ll pull off a dazzling smile. To make your teeth look instantly whiter, try using a cool-toned red or pink lips ck with blue undertones, and steer clear of yellow or orange toned lips cks.

You’re ho er than you think you are According to research by Dove only 2 per cent of women think they are beau ful, and only 5 per cent feel comfortable describing themselves as pre y, yet it seems many women are oblivious to their own a rac veness. Research shows others see us as 20 per cent more a rac ve than we think we are.

For more lifestyle news see www.realbuzz.com

YOU street smart

18

colour

It’s all about the With the winter chill really bi ng now, hun ng the streets of Ashburton for some snappy dressers was a cold affair. But Gina Gardner and Michelle Procter really warmed the Guardian team up with their colour-rich ensembles.

GINA

MICHELLE

Canadian Gina Gardner has been in Methven for over a month with husband Nigel and their three boys Quillan, 11, Declan, 9, and Stefan, 6.

Mid Canterbury woman Michelle Procter is also a busy mum of three – George, 10, Quinn, 8, and Hazel, 4 – and, along with husband David, lives at Seafield.

She was snapped out and about on the streets of Ashburton recently wearing Street Legal boots, a red top from Glassons, an Ezi Buy skirt and purse and a jacket from CRT.

Michelle loves colour and got her boots from Stepping Out and her scarf is Sussan.

When she is working out her wardrobe for the day, she definitely goes for lots of colour. “It makes me feel good, it’s cheerful.”

PHOTO LISA FENWICK

The jacket is from Australia and her dress is from a place called Vanilla Ink in Auckland. Michelle saw the dress on television and loved it so much she tracked it down and bought it.

PHOTO TETSURO MITOMO120613-TM-004

YOU house of travel

advertising feature

ĂĚĚ ŵŽƌĞ ĂƐ ƚŚĞLJ ŐĞƚ ŽůĚĞƌ Žƌ ƌĞŵŽǀĞ ƚŚĞŵ͘ /Ĩ ƚŚĞLJ ĚĞĐŝĚĞ ƚŽ ŬĞĞƉ ƚŚĞŵ͕ ĂƐ ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ƚƌĂĚŝƟŽŶ͕ ƚŚĞLJ ŵƵƐƚ ŶĞǀĞƌ ůĞĂǀĞ ƚŚĞ ǀŝůůĂŐĞ ĂŶĚ ĚŽ ŶŽƚ ƌĞĐĞŝǀĞ ĂŶ ĞĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ͘ ŚŝŐŚůŝŐŚƚ ĨŽƌ ŽƵƌ ĨĂŵŝůLJ ǁĂƐ Ă ĚĂLJ ƚƌŝƉ ĂďŽƵƚ ĂŶ ŚŽƵƌ ŽƵƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĐŝƚLJ ǁŚĞƌĞ ǁĞ ǁĞŶƚ njŝƉͲůŝŶŝŶŐ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ƚŚĞ ũƵŶŐůĞ͘ dŚĞ ƚƌŝƉ ǁĞ ǁĞŶƚ ŽŶ ŚĂĚ Ă ƚŽƚĂů ŽĨ ϯϯ njŝƉůŝŶĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĨŽƵƌ ĂďƐĞŝůƐ ĂŶĚ ǁĞ ũƵƐƚ njŝƉƉĞĚ ĨƌŽŵ ƚƌĞĞ ƚŽƉ ƚŽ ƚƌĞĞ ƚŽƉ͘ dŚĞ ůŽŶŐĞƐƚ njŝƉ

ůŝŶĞ ǁĂƐ ŽǀĞƌ ϯϬϬ ŵĞƚƌĞƐ͘ tĞ ǁĞƌĞ ƚŚĞŶ ŐŝǀĞŶ ĂŶŽƚŚĞƌ ƚĂƐƚLJ dŚĂŝ ůƵŶĐŚ ĂŶĚ ŚĞĂĚĞĚ ďĂĐŬ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŽǁŶ͘ ŚŝĂŶŐ DĂŝ ĂůƐŽ ŚĂƐ Ă ĨĂďƵůŽƵƐ ŶŝŐŚƚ ƐĂĨĂƌŝ ǁŚĞƌĞ LJŽƵ ĂƌĞ ƚĂŬĞŶ ďLJ ŽƉĞŶ ƚƌŽůůĞLJ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ Ă ůĂƌŐĞ ǀĂƌŝĞƚLJ ŽĨ ĂŶŝŵĂůƐ͘ tŚĂƚ Ă ƚƌĞĂƚ ǁŚĞŶ Ă ŐŝƌĂīĞ ůĞĂŶƚ ƌŝŐŚƚ ŝŶ ĂŶĚ ƚŽŽŬ Ă ďĂŶĂŶĂ ĨƌŽŵ ŽƵƌ hands! ŌĞƌ ƐƵĐŚ Ă ĨƵůůͲŽŶ ƟŵĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŶŽƌƚŚ͕ ǁĞ ŇĞǁ

magazine

C

ŚŝĂŶŐ DĂŝ͕ ƚŚĞ ĚĞƐƟŶĂƟŽŶ ǁŚĞƌĞ ƌĞŵŽƚĞ ƚƌŝďĂů ǀŝůůĂŐĞƐ ƐƟůů ĞdžŝƐƚ ĂŶĚ ƵĚĚŚŝƐƚ ŵŽŶŬƐ͕ ƐƟůů ŝŶ ƌĞƐŝĚĞŶĐĞ͕ ůŝǀĞ ĂůŽŶŐƐŝĚĞ ƚŚĞ ĨĂďƵůŽƵƐ ƐŚŽƉƉŝŶŐ͕ ĚĞůŝĐŝŽƵƐ ĨŽŽĚ͕ ůƵdžƵƌLJ ďĂƌƐ ĂŶĚ ƵŶŝƋƵĞ ƐƉĂƐ͘ dŚĞ ĐƵůƚƵƌĂů ĚŝǀĞƌƐĞŶĞƐƐ ĨŽƵŶĚ ŝŶ ƚŚŝƐ ƉĂƌƚ ŽĨ ŶŽƌƚŚĞƌŶ dŚĂŝůĂŶĚ ŝƐ ĂŶ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŶŽƚ ƚŽ ďĞ ŵŝƐƐĞĚ͘ / ƌĞĐĞŶƚůLJ ƚƌĂǀĞůůĞĚ ƚŽ dŚĂŝůĂŶĚ ǁŝƚŚ ŵLJ ĨĂŵŝůLJ ĂŶĚ ƐƚĂLJĞĚ ŝŶ ŚŝĂŶŐ DĂŝ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŶŽƌƚŚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĐŽƵŶƚƌLJ͘ ŚŝĂŶŐ DĂŝ ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ƐĞĐŽŶĚ ůĂƌŐĞƐƚ ĐŝƚLJ ŝŶ dŚĂŝůĂŶĚ͘ dŚĞ ŽůĚ ĐŝƚLJ ǁĂƐ ĨŽƵŶĚĞĚ ŝŶ ϭϮϵϲ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞƌĞ ŝƐ ƐƟůů Ă ŵŽĂƚ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ ŝƚ ǁŚŝĐŚ ǁĂƐ ƵƐĞĚ ƚŽ ƉƌŽƚĞĐƚ ƚŚĞ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ĨƌŽŵ ŝŶƚƌƵĚĞƌƐ͘ dŚĞ ĂƌĞĂ ŚĂƐ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ ϯϬ ƚĞŵƉůĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ŵĂŝŶ ŽŶĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŽůĚ ĐŝƚLJ ĚĂƚĞƐ ďĂĐŬ ϲϬϬ LJĞĂƌƐ͘ dŚĞ ĂƌĞĂ ŝƚƐĞůĨ ŚĂƐ Ă ůŽƚ ƚŽ ŽīĞƌ ĂŶĚ ǁĞ ǁĞƌĞ ǀĞƌLJ ďƵƐLJ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƐŚŽƌƚ ƟŵĞ ǁĞ ǁĞƌĞ ƚŚĞƌĞ͘ tĞ ƐƚĂLJĞĚ ĐůŽƐĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ŶŝŐŚƚ ďĂnjĂĂƌ ǁŚŝĐŚ ĐŽŵĞƐ ĂůŝǀĞ ǁŝƚŚ ĨŽŽĚ ƐƚĂůůƐ ĂŶĚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚƐ ĂŌĞƌ ĚĂƌŬ ĂŶĚ ŝƐ ƌĞĂůůLJ ƐŽŵĞƚŚŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƐĞĞ͘ ƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĚĂLJ͕ LJŽƵ ĐĂŶ ƚƌĂǀĞů ŽƵƚ ƚŽ ĞůĞƉŚĂŶƚ ǀŝůůĂŐĞƐ ǁŚĞƌĞ ǁĞ ǁĂƚĐŚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ĞůĞƉŚĂŶƚƐ ĚŽ ĞǀĞƌLJƚŚŝŶŐ ĨƌŽŵ ƉĂŝŶƟŶŐ ĂŵĂnjŝŶŐ ƉŝĐƚƵƌĞƐ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƚƌƵŶŬƐ͕ ƚŽ ŬŝĐŬŝŶŐ ĨŽŽƚďĂůůƐ ĂŶĚ ĚĂŶĐŝŶŐ͘ tĞ ƚŚĞŶ ĐůŝŵďĞĚ ƵƉ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ĞůĞƉŚĂŶƚƐ ŝŶ ƚǁŽƐ ĂŶĚ ǁĞƌĞ ƚĂŬĞŶ ĨŽƌ Ă ƌŝĚĞ ŽŶ ƚŚĞŵ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ƚŚĞ ƌŝǀĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ƐƵƌƌŽƵŶĚŝŶŐ ďƵƐŚ͘ dŚĞƌĞ ĂƌĞ ŵĂŶLJ ƚƌŝďĞƐ ƐƟůů ůŝǀŝŶŐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĂƌĞĂ ĂŶĚ ǁĞ ǁĞƌĞ ƚĂŬĞŶ ƚŽ ǀŝƐŝƚ ƚŚĞ >ŝƐƵ ƚƌŝďĞ ǁŚŽ ĂƌĞ ŬŶŽǁŶ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞŝƌ ůŽŶŐ ŶĞĐŬĞĚ ǁŽŵĞŶ͘ ZŝŶŐƐ ĂƌĞ ƉƵƚ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ LJŽƵŶŐ Őŝƌů͛Ɛ ŶĞĐŬƐ͘ dŚĞLJ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŚĞ ĐŚŽŝĐĞ ƚŽ ŬĞĞƉ ƚŚĞ ƌŝŶŐƐ ŽŶ ĂŶĚ

you

Experience not to be missed

19

DESTINATION

BY Anna Schmack ĚŽǁŶ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ŝƐůĂŶĚ ŽĨ <ŽŚ ^ĂŵƵŝ ĨŽƌ Ă ĨĞǁ ĚĂLJƐ ƌĞƐƚ ĂŶĚ ƌĞůĂdžĂƟŽŶ͘ ,ĞƌĞ LJŽƵ ĐĂŶ ƌĞůĂdž ďLJ ƚŚĞ ƉŽŽů Žƌ ďĞĂĐŚ͕ ĞĂƚ ǁŽŶĚĞƌĨƵů dŚĂŝ ĐƵŝƐŝŶĞ͕ Žƌ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ƚŚĞ ŶŝŐŚƚůŝĨĞ ƚŚĞ ŝƐůĂŶĚ ŚĂƐ ƚŽ ŽīĞƌ͘ dŚĞ dŚĂŝ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ĂƌĞ ƐƵĐŚ ůŽǀĞůLJ͕ ŬŝŶĚ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ĂŶĚ ŵĂŬĞ LJŽƵ ĨĞĞů ǀĞƌLJ ǁĞůĐŽŵĞ͘

600 year old temple in the Old City of Chiang

PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Ziplining through jungle.

Long necked woman at Lisu Village.

AROUND THAILAND THAILA ND

IT INERARY

7 day/6 night tour

1505

$

from

per person share twin Airfares additional

DEPARTS: 10 Jun-31 Oct 13 (select Sunday departures) INCLUDES: 6 nights 3.5 star accommodation, breakfast daily, 7 lunches, 6 dinners, air conditioned transportation, sightseeing, entrance fees, English speaking guide, domestic flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok

Day 1: Bangkok – Nakhon Ratchasima Day 2: Nakhon Ratchasima – Phitsanulok Day 3: Phitsanulok – Sukhothai – Lampang Day 4: Lampang – Chiang Rai Day 5: Chiang Rai – Chiang Mai Day 6: Chiang Mai Day 7: Chiang Mai – Bangkok

House of Travel Ashburton 196 East Street,Ashburton P: 03 307 8760 | ashburton@hot.co.nz CONDITIONS: Valid for new bookings only. Valid for travel 10 Jun-31 Oct 13 with select Sunday departures and sales 06 Jun-30 Aug 13. International airfares are additional. Advertised prices are correct as at 06 Jun 13 but may vary due to exchange rates. All prices and products are subject to availability at time of reservation, some surcharges and closeout periods may apply. All travel must be commenced and completed as per dates specified. Package is based on consecutive night stays – should your needs differ please refer to your House of Travel consultant. Tours are subject to a minimum of 02 people to operate. For single travellers if there are no other people joining on the day of the tour, Hotelbeds Thailand reserve the right to cancel the tour one day in advance. Group prices are not applicable on these packages. Amendment and cancellation fees apply. Visa (if applicable), travel insurance, departure taxes, personal expense and gratuities are at passengers own expense. Contact House of Travel on 0800 838 747 for more information and the best airfare to match your holiday.

YOU

20

Chia not just a pretty seed you m magazine FOR FOODIES

BY MARG BROWNLIE

C

hia seeds are ny, hard and have a subtle nut-like flavour when chewed, but they have the unique property of absorbing liquid, so take on the taste of whatever liquid they are placed in and are a healthier alternave to use as a thickener in all sorts of recipes.

The health benefits to this true superfood, a powerhouse of nutri on, are numerous.

They are high in omega 3, and the high fibre contents aids regularity in a natural, gentle way.

Chia seeds digest slowly so they make you feel fuller for longer which can also aid in weight loss.

Because of the high omega fat content of the seeds it makes them very useful as a subs tute for bu er or eggs in baking.

These Chilli Chia Fish Cakes are delicious and lemony, in fact we had them two nights in a row we enjoyed them that much. Especially good with a seasonal salad.

While quick and easy, they are a complete meal in themselves.

Are you short of time?

‘Simpli’ email or phone through your order! “ Email for a list of our bulk products.” “ If we don’t have it, we may be able to get it”

ph: 307 6077 eeml: ashburton@simplifood.co.nz d co nz d.co.nz Monday - Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm pm Saturday10am to 2pm

Come into Simplifood to purchase your fresh Chia seeds!

www.simplifood.co.nz

P 307 6077 F 307 307 6078 607 0788 105 Victoria Street, Ashburton

YOU

21

Left – These chilli chia fish cakes tasted so good, we had them two nights in a row.

Right – Chia seeds are known as a powerhouse of nutrition.

PHOTO ABBY BROWNLIE

Chilli chia fish cakes 3 medium sized potatoes, cut into cubes 425 gr n salmon (or fresh salmon fillet) 1 red chilli, finely chopped grated rind and juice of a lemon 2T ground chia seeds (preferably white) 3 finely sliced shallots 1/2 cup chopped coriander salt and pepper to taste olive oil for cooking – Lightly boil potatoes in salted water un l so .

– Crush roughly with a fork and add flaked salmon, chilli, lemon rind and juice and combine well.

– Add ground chia seeds, shallots and coriander and mix well.

– Form mixture into small pa es and refrigerate for 1 hour.

– Heat oil in a non-s ck pan and cook pa es for 4-5 minutes on each side.

Cauliflower chia soup Half a cauliflower cut into small pieces one small onion finely chopped 1 tsp ground cumin sea salt to taste 2 cups of good quality vegetable stock 1 Tbsp freshly ground chia seeds chopped parsley ground black pepper – Chop the onion and sauté in a pot with a li le olive oil. When onion is translucent add the cumin and cauliflower pieces and sauté for a further minute. Add vegetable stock and 2 cups water and bring to boil for about 15 mins.

– Take out half the mixture and blend with the ground chia seeds. Return this mixture back to the pot and s r through. Check seasoning and garnish with chopped parsley and lashings of ground black pepper.

– The end result of this soup is thick and creamy and best served with your favourite crusty bread.

22

advertising feature

Sticky pork belly

recipe YOU

Sticky pork belly 2 x1kg pieces pork belly 1 1/2 litres chicken stock 50g ginger, coarsely chopped 6 cloves garlic coarsely chopped 8 whole star anise 12 whole cloves 1 medium-hot chilli zest and juice of 1 orange 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup hoisin sauce 1/4 cup honey

form, removed the pork from the pan ĂŶĚ ŽƵƚ ŝŶƚŽ ϴ ƉŽƌƟŽŶƐ͘ Ͳ ĂƌĞĨƵůůLJ ƌĞŵŽǀĞ Ăůů ƚŚĞ ƐŽůŝĚŝĮĞĚ ĨĂƚ ĨƌŽŵ Žŵ the surface of the braising liquid.

- Pour the liquid into a saucepan and bring ng to the boil then pass through a strainer. Ͳ ZĞƐĞƌǀĞ ƚŚŝƐ ƐĂƵĐĞ ƵŶƟů ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞĚ͘

- Preheat the oven to 150 °C. In a large skillet ŽǀĞŶ ŚŝŐŚ ŚĞĂƚ͕ ƐĞĂƌ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƌŬ ƵŶƟů ƐůŝŐŚƚůLJ golden on each side. Ͳ WƵƚ ďŽƚŚ ƉŝĞĐĞƐ ŝŶ Ă ƌŽĂƐƟŶŐ ƉĂŶ Žƌ ĚĞĞƉ ovenproof dish.

- Mix all the other ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil.

- Pour this mixture over the pork bellies, cover ǁŝƚŚ ƟŶĨŽŝů ĂŶĚ ƉůĂĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŽǀĞŶ͘ Ͳ ŚĞĐŬ ĂŌĞƌ Ϯ ŚŽƵƌƐ͖ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƌŬ ƐŚŽƵůĚ ďĞ ǀĞƌLJ ƐŽŌ ĂŶĚ ƚĞŶĚĞƌ͘ - Once cooked, remove from the oven, leave to cool then refrigerate in the braising liquid.

- Once chilled and the liquid is set in jelly

245 BURNETT STREET ASHBURTON 308 5980

Sticky rice 2 cups short grain rice Ϯ Žƌ ϯ ŬĂĸƌ ůŝŵĞ ůĞĂǀĞƐ 4 cups cold water - Place the rice in a medium saucepan and d ƌŝŶƐĞ ƚŚƌĞĞ ƟŵĞƐ ŝŶ ĐŽůĚ ǁĂƚĞƌ͘ - Cover with 4 cups water, add the lime leaves and place uncovered on a medium m heat.

- Once the water has been absorbed, remove from the heat and stand.

B I R T H D AY B A S H THE WHOLE MONTH OF JULY 2013

Every standard drink until Friday 26th July will get you a stamp, STAMP 4 and go in the

DRAW FOR RAM MYSTERY YSTERY W WINTER INTER W WARMER ARMER W WEEKEND EEKEND FOR TWO Prize will be drawn between 7pm and 9pm on Friday 26th July (winner must be present) Drink Specials and lots of lucky draw giveaways on the night.

YOU time for diamonds

23

17,000 diamonds advertising feature

Local jeweller travels

kilometres to purchase y magazine TIME FOR DIAMONDS NICOLA CROSSAN

N

icola of Time for Diamonds will shortly be travelling to the diamond Capital of the World, Antwerp, Belgium, where two thirds of the world’s diamonds ĂƌĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ͘ dŚŝƐ ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ĮƌƐƚ ƟŵĞ ĂŶLJŽŶĞ ĨƌŽŵ Mid Canterbury has been able to take up ƚŚŝƐ ĞdžĐůƵƐŝǀĞ ŶƚǁĞƌƉ ŽīĞƌ͘ tŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞƌĞ͕ Nicola will have the opportunity to buy direct ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ŵĂũŽƌ ŶƚǁĞƌƉ ĐƵƩĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ƉĂƐƐ ƐŝŐŶŝĮĐĂŶƚ ƐĂǀŝŶŐƐ ŽŶ ƚŽ ĐƵƐƚŽŵĞƌƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ Ashburton area.

Time for Diamonds has direct access to

the Antwerp diamond trade as the area’s ĞdžĐůƵƐŝǀĞ ŵĞŵďĞƌ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ EĂƟŽŶǁŝĚĞ Jewellers Group, part of the Independent :ĞǁĞůůĞƌƐ KƌŐĂŶŝƐĂƟŽŶ ;/:KͿ͕ ĂŶ ŝŶƚĞƌŶĂƟŽŶĂů ƵLJŝŶŐ 'ƌŽƵƉ ĂŶĚ ĚƵĐĂƟŽŶĂů ŽƌŐĂŶŝƐĂƟŽŶ for retail jewellers. IJO has almost 1400 members in the US, the US Virgin Islands, Canada, Great Britain, Australia and New ĞĂůĂŶĚ͕ ĂŶĚ ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶƐ ďƵLJŝŶŐ ŽĸĐĞƐ ŝŶ Antwerp for the use of its members.

“It is generally out of reach for a single jewellery store or small chain to buy direct in

ŶƚǁĞƌƉ͕͟ ƐĂŝĚ EŝĐŽůĂ͘ ͞KŶĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ďĞŶĞĮƚƐ ŽĨ ŽƵƌ EĂƟŽŶǁŝĚĞ :ĞǁĞůůĞƌƐ ŵĞŵďĞƌƐŚŝƉ ŝƐ ƚŚĂƚ we become a direct importer of Antwerp diamonds and can save our customers the normal middleman’s fee. We are very ĞdžĐŝƚĞĚ ĂďŽƵƚ ŽƵƌ ĂďŝůŝƚLJ ƚŽ ŽīĞƌ ƚŚŝƐ ƵŶŝƋƵĞ service to our customers, and look forward to making their diamond dreams come true.”

Stop by Time for Diamonds to discuss your opportunity to own one of the ŵŽƐƚ ďĞĂƵƟĨƵů ĚŝĂŵŽŶĚƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌůĚ͕ Ăƚ ĞdžĐĞƉƟŽŶĂů ǀĂůƵĞƐ͘

24

promotion

You Living

living YOU

FASHION, BEAUTY & ACCESSORY ESSENTIALS

/ŶŬĂ ĐŽƐŵĞƟĐƐ ĨƌŽŵ ΨϮϴ͘ϵϵ

Sterling silver blue topaz earrings $240

AVAILABLE FROM HEALTH 2000

AVAILABLE FROM UNIQUE JEWELLERY

Andalou naturals – All in one Beauty balm $29.80 AVAILABLE FROM HEALTH 2000

Tangerine cowl neck tunic $89 Merino Story granite cardi $98 Tartan sleeveless tunic $89

Tangerine cowl neck tunic $89 Black Noble Wilde possum merino zip jacket $330.65 AVAILABLE FROM THE MERINO STORY

AVAILABLE FROM THE MERINO STORY

Amberlene scarf $29 A line scoop neck dress $98 My merino long split vest $169 AVAILABLE FROM THE MERINO STORY

A sterling ƐŝůǀĞƌ ƌƵƟůĞ quartz ring $370 AVAILABLE FROM UNIQUE JEWELLERY

Sterling silver mussell shell pendant $60 Tints of nature – Permanent $29.95 AVAILABLE FROM HEALTH 2000

AVAILABLE FROM UNIQUE JEWELLERY

YOU living

25

You Living HOME ESSENTIALS

Ella kit $59.90 AVAILABLE FROM ANNIES COUNTRY QUILTS

^ĞůĞĐƟŽŶ ŽĨ ŬŝƚĐŚĞŶ towels $14.95 AVAILABLE FROM ANNIES COUNTRY QUILTS

Knight metropol/seater chair $599 AVAILABLE FROM OFFICE SPOT

Genesis table lamp Ψϭϭϯ͘ϲϰ AVAILABLE FROM LASER ELECTRICAL

^ŝůǀĞƌ ĮďƌĞ ĨĂďƌŝĐ ƐŚĂĚĞ Ψϲϱ AVAILABLE FROM LASER ELECTRICAL

ŽŵĞ ŇŽŽƌ ůĂŵƉ Ψϭϴϵ AVAILABLE FROM LASER ELECTRICAL

&ƌĞŶĐŚ ĐĂďŝŶĞƚ Ψϲϱ AVAILABLE FROM ANNIES COUNTRY QUILTS

&D ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ĐĂƌĚ ĮůĞ ϭϮϴ $13.99 AVAILABLE FROM OFFICE SPOT

Cubit bookcase 1800h $435 AVAILABLE FROM OFFICE SPOT

26

promotion

You Living

living YOU

SWEETS & TREATS ESSENTIALS

Homemade chicken and kumara ĐƵƌƌLJ ƉĂƐƟĞ Ψϵ͘ϱϬ ;ƐŝĚĞ ƐĂůĂĚ ĞdžƚƌĂͿ AVAILABLE FROM STAVELEY STORE

Chia Drinks Range, Gluten Free super food. $5.50 Available in Orange, Passionfruit and Apple; Blackcurrant & Apple; Blueberry & Apple

Lemon curd and berry brioche $6

Afghan biscuit $4

AVAILABLE FROM STAVELEY STORE

AVAILABLE FROM STAVELEY STORE

LP Gluten Free Range - Afgans.

Also available cakes, pastries, pies and much more from $1.80

Special recipe Fruit gums sugar free $5.60

AVAILABLE FROM SIMPLI FOOD

AVAILABLE FROM SIMPLI FOOD

ONLY AVAILABLE FROM SIMPLI FOOD

French Bakery - Gold max bread; mixed grain, white and wholemeal $2.25 each or two for $4 AVAILABLE FROM THE GREEN GROCER

&ƌĞŶĐŚ ĂŬĞƌLJ Ͳ WĞƟƚ ƐĂǀŽƵƌŝĞƐ͖ mince, smoked chicken and mince and cheese available $6.99 AVAILABLE FROM THE GREEN GROCER

French Bakery - Tarts; neenish, chocolate caramel and pecan caramel $5.99 AVAILABLE FROM THE GREEN GROCER

YOU nbs

27

advertising feature

boom

How does the Auckland housing affect everyone? you magazine BRANCH MANAGER

BY JOHN MOORE

We hear every day about the housing boom New Zealand is experiencing at present and that first home buyers canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t aďŹ&#x20AC;ord housing in Auckland.

T

he Reserve Bank is looking at ways to try and slow the boom without increasing interest rates.

I thought Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d try and answer some ques ons you may be pondering.

1. How does it affect mum and dad home buyer?

A. This clearly aďŹ&#x20AC;ects any buyer in a buoyant market as house prices con nue to rise. It makes it diďŹ&#x192;cult for buyers as there is such a demand you become uncertain about how much to oďŹ&#x20AC;er the vendor. Worse s ll if you are going to auc on, you really have no idea where the price will end up.

One uncertainty to be considered by buyers is if the market remains buoyant and the Reserve Bank uses the tool of trying to dampen the market by increasing interest rates, it could make the house they have just purchased unaďŹ&#x20AC;ordable in the future.

2. How does it affect mum and dad homeowner not looking at changing homes?

A. For any homeowner not looking at selling , it makes very li le diďŹ&#x20AC;erence to them on a day- to-day basis. What it does do is increase the value of their property and as a result increases their net worth. If they have a loan the same applies to these people as per the second

part of ques on one; if they have borrowings and interest rates rise this can aďŹ&#x20AC;ect their aďŹ&#x20AC;ordability of the home.

3. How does it affect investors not investing in the housing market?

A. Any investor not inves ng in the buoyant housing market will be impacted if the Reserve Bank increases interest rates. The investor will get a higher rate of return when they invest with their building society or bank, and mortgagors will be paying a higher rate for their loans.

4. Is this a New Zealand wide issue or just Auckland?

A. There are numbers on this topic and it appears Auckland house prices have increased significantly. As always it is all about supply and demand. With strong migra on over the past five years and no significant growth in new houses being built, supply and demand is a major factor.

It is similar to Christchurch with supply and demand, with so many houses damaged and people with nowhere to go, prices are increasing significantly.

Throughout the rest of the country the boom isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happening at the same level as these two ci es and this is the challenge the Reserve

Bank faces. Does it have a diďŹ&#x20AC;erent set of rules for Auckland our biggest city? Maybe we have Auckland dollars when we go north of the Bombay Hills?

Not prac cal but you do require a larger deposit to buy a house in Auckland than anywhere else in New Zealand.

The Reserve Bank has a diďŹ&#x192;cult role because if interest rates are increased to slow the Auckland housing boom it could push other areas of the country backwards and make housing unaďŹ&#x20AC;ordable in areas we need growth.

Even though Christchurchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s housing prices are strong there are only sectors of itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy growing, so increased interest rates would be unproduc ve for a city trying to recover from such a disaster.

With all this in mind the other major player to think about here is the building society or bank lending the money. How much exposure does the lender have in the Auckland market and what amounts do they invest in houses? The Reserve Bank is saying first home owners should have a 20 per cent deposit, this would make no real change to NBSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s housing policy as we require 20 per cent deposit anyway. Maybe if the banks adopted a similar criteria the housing boom in Auckland would slow down and make the Reserve Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life easier.

I leave you with these thoughts and hopefully it answers some of your ques ons.

Have a great day.

DQG ZLQ FDVK SHU PRQWK (YHU\ LQ \RXU 7DUJHW $FFRXQW HTXDOV RQH FKDQFH WR ZLQ 324 East Street. Ashburton. 03 307 6380. www.nbs.co.nz $6+%85721

$ 3URVSHFWXV 'LVFORVXUH 6WDWHPHQW LV DYDLODEOH XSRQ UHTXHVW IUHH RI FKDUJH IURP DQ\ 1%6 %UDQFK 7HUPV FRQGLWLRQV DSSO\ 1%6 LV QRW D UHJLVWHUHG EDQN

YOU DIY

28

you

I

magazine

f you are installing a new logburner, you may want to le the hearth. Tiles are inherently fireproof, which makes them suitable for covering a hearth, protec ng the surrounding floor area from heat damage and making an a rac ve addi on to your home.

And while ling a fireplace hearth may seem like a job best le to the professionals, with a li le pa ence and know-how, it is an achievable DIY job.

Tiles let you create pa erns and intricate designs in your hearth, or you can use plain les to make a more subdued statement.

Any floor le is suitable for use on a hearth, and they are installed just like you would on any other floor surface.

If you are wishing to le a hearth before installing your new, council approved logburner, you will need to check the specifica ons before you start to make sure the hearth will be the right size. Then, as long as you have a good founda on and layout, the job should be rela vely straight forward.

DO IT YOURSELF SHANE WOODS gives us some practical advice on DIY projects

h

achievable

YOU

29

Above – Lay out the tiles you intend to install right on the hearth pad without any adhesive to determine your layout.

Left – If the area you wish to tile is concrete, apply an acrcylic bonding agent to the surface before you begin.

1 – Ensure that the hearth pad is level and has an adequate surface for adhering the les. If the exis ng hearth pad is concrete, apply an arcrylic bonding agent before ling. If the exis ng floor is wooden, coat it with adhesive and screw a sheet of cement or le underlay on top. Allow to dry for 24 hours.

2 – Lay out the les you intend to install right on top of the hearth pad without any adhesive. Use this dry layout of the les to determine the pa ern of the les as well as the layout. Begin your layout in

the front, centre of the hearth and move out evenly to each side for a balanced layout. If installing the les using an offset pa ern, adjust the layout accordingly un l you get les of equal size on each side. Use le spacers to ensure straight le lines.

3 – Cut the les to fit the perimeter of the hearth on a le wet saw and return them to the dry layout to double check their fit.

4 – Remove the les from the hearth in the opposite order you laid them down in and set them nearby.

Hearth tiles protect the surrounding floor area from heat damage and make an attractive addition to your home.

5 – Spread a small amount of le adhesive onto the hearth pad with a trowel.

Spread the mortar with the flat edge of the trowel, then comb the mortar with the trowel notches un l it is uniform in thickness.

6 – Press les into the mortar adhesive in the same order you determined in your layout, twis ng the les and pushing down any high les to ensure they are even.

7 – Allow the mortar to cure for 24 hours, then grout the hearth. Spread the grout over the les with a grout float held at a

45-degree angle to the hearth. Turn the float closer to 90 degrees to scrape off any excess grout from the surface of the les.

8 – Allow the grout to set up for half and hour, then wash down the surface of the les with a slightly damp grout sponge.

Rinse and wring out the sponge thoroughly every few passes over the les to ensure you remove any excess grout. Use the corners of the sponge to help shape the grout lines if necessary. Allow the grout to dry for 24 hours.

30

Get your yo magazine

A

old

s we all get older we expect our bodies to start having problems when it comes to keeping up with daily demands. We also know that serious diseases might be lurking further down the line and hope that early diagnosis and treatment will help maintain our quality of life and

VET TALK

BY JUAN GRAY

YOU social scene

pet checked

possibly even save it.

This is why many people now go for regular check-ups with their doctor par cularly as we age. Having our blood pressure and cholesterol checked, breast screening, men’s health checks, are all part of our yearly WOF to ensure we don’t have undetected problems.

Many of these same diseases affect our pets as they age. As owners subtle signs of disease can go unno ced due to gradual changes or perhaps we just don’t know what we are looking for. Many of these diseases can be treated, managed or even eliminated

to help your pet not only live longer but also improve their quality of life.

I have recently had a very happy owner tell me that their s ff old dog has a new spring in his step a er I started him on treatment for arthri s, doing things he hasn’t done for years.

They wish they had started it sooner.

A cat or dog over the age of seven is considered to be senior. As we know, our pets age quicker than we do, four or five years for every one of ours and for some large breed dogs it can be up to around 10 years as they get older. This shows how important it is to get any concerns checked quickly and also to have regular health checks every six to 12 months with a vet.

As vets we are checking pets daily and will pick up things by looking, listening and feeling that might be missed by owners. Owners also help by providing lots of informa on when discussing their pet’s daily rou ne and any changes that might be happening.

Old pet checks are o en combined with simple and inexpensive tests like a urine sample. These can o en give instant results and give a lot more informa on about the health of your pet. Please take advantage of the opportunity offered below and book in your pet to keep them happy and healthy.

From the age of 7 your pet’s health can change, so should their diet.

Bring in your voucher and save $10 on a senior health check, and $25 on all Hill’s Prescription Diet & Science Diet Senior Food.* Offer only available by bringing in voucher found at www.hillspet.co.nz/seniors 1 Smallbone Drive

Find us on

(on the way to the recycling centre) Ashburton

ph 308 2321 www.vetent.co.nz

YOU

31

Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell

magazine

I

fell in love with Maggie O’Farrell’s wri ng when I read The Hand That First Held Mine – such a great book and this one certainly doesn’t disappoint.

The story is set in London and Ireland in 1976 and as the tle suggests there is a heatwave. Recently re red Frank Riordan tells his wife Gre a he’s going out to get the paper and he doesnt come back. When it becomes clear he’s missing, Gre a contacts the 3 adult children who descend on the house to try and solve the mystery of their missing father and to support their mother. Gre a is adamant there were no problems between them and therefore no reason for him to have disappeared. They are a large complicated Irish family and the three siblings all have problems of their own.

The story moves to Ireland all the while dealing with the disappearance and the complex stories of the three siblings.

This is such a good read – the author is a great storyteller and a master of the family drama.

Loved it.

you

Reviewed by Norma Geddes, Paper Plus

BOOK REVIEW

BY NORMA GEDDES

Bring in this advert and get PLUS AD PAPER 25% off this 7X10 emotional and powerful book AVAILABLE UNTIL30/06/2013 31/07/2013 AVAILABLE A UNTIL

%AST 3TREET s !SHBURTON s

Giving bu

By Amanda Wright

I

Jo Foster

f life is one big show, and the stage is the en re world, it’s easy to see why a small business would find its first performance daun ng.

Jo Foster, Founder of JFM Adver sing & Design, has dedicated her last eleven years toward helping small and medium businesses become star performers. Her exper se and genuine desire to help other businesses succeed is driven from turning a compelling story into a great brand, and making sure that brand is delivered to the largest audience possible.

Jo’s passion for our local community arises from being a born and bred Mid-Cantabrian.

No stranger to gumboots and the rus c charm of the land, Jo grew up on her parent’s farm in Dorie with her two brothers Shane and Corey.

Jo a ended Dorie Primary School and then Ashburton College where she was Orange House Captain, allowing her natural leadership and mo va on for success to blossom.

Jo had a natural way with words, and her first posi on of employment a er college was as an office junior with a local legal firm.

With a bright personality and ambi on burs ng at the seams, Jo craved more contact with people, and accepted a posi on with the Ashburton Guardian.

Star ng as an enthusias c office junior, Jo’s desire to help businesses succeed and her passion for marke ng grew, and soon she was a busy and popular adver sing sales representa ve with the Guardian.

When Jo’s brother Corey started his own joinery business, Foster’s Joinery, Jo was keen to use her marke ng prowess and business contacts to help his business develop a recognisable brand.

“I helped Corey’s business develop its company profile with a range of marke ng and customer care tools. I wanted to help give his company a voice, so we grew the brand from the ground up.

“I enjoyed the process so much, I realised that if I could help his business to build its brand from scratch, then I could help other businesses too. That’s where my passion for owning my own business developed,” Jo said.

Without hesita on, Jo developed a plan to turn her ambi on into reality. Knowing that she wouldn’t enjoy the isola on that came with working from home, she set out to find an affordable office space that would suit her business plan.

Jo was in luck. Such a space existed at the Rural Transport site. Jo leased one office

a unique voice

YOU women in business

business

room and opened the doors to JFM Adver sing & Design in 2006.

Jo’s client database steadily grew as word spread of the all-inclusive service she could offer to help businesses achieve their marke ng goals. As a special highlight during the first year of business, Foster’s Joinery went on to win the best new business category at the Ashburton Business Associa on awards in 2007.

Tragically later that year, Jo’s brother Corey didn’t return home a er a hun ng trip in the Avoca Valley, inland from Lake Coleridge. A er eight days since Corey was reported missing, the search for him was called off, much to the despair of his loving family. He was only 24 years of age, and his family were devastated at the loss of such a talented and lively man.

Jo’s business con nued to grow thanks to the terrific support of the local business community, and a er hiring a graphic designer and an administra on assistant, Jo had out-grown the space at Rural Transport and needed to move into a larger premises.

In 2009 Jo was thrilled to discover the large 200 square metre, open plan office space above the post office.

The loca on and poten al for development was perfect, so every night for three months, Jo and her partner James, as well as her mum and dad and other family members all pitched in to help turn it into the chic, modern office space that it is today.

Together they built offices, a board room, layed carpet, painted walls, hung wall paper and designed the space to be light and invi ng to clients, as well as a func onal work environ-

ment for Jo’s steadily growing crea ve team.

From humble beginnings, JFM Adver sing & Design has grown into one of Ashburton’s most recognisable brands, with a reputa on for going the extra mile to deliver results to its clients.

Focusing on small and medium business, JFM work to empower business owners to take acons that will turn their clients into enthusias c fans. In return, sa sfied clients then turn into brand ambassadors, resul ng in a new market of possibili es. It’s all part of JFM’s ability to offer a full suite of services, from brand crea on, management and implementa on, through to media placement, copy wri ng, photography, website crea on, and social media.

“Because all of our services are created inhouse, we offer more control over the quality and con nunity of the product being designed for our clients.

“We take a holis c approach to our clients’ needs, and work with one aim in mind, crea ng growth for them, be it in profit, market share or brand awareness,” Jo said.

When she isn’t working hard to help other local businesses find their voice, Jo enjoys to travel, and has fond memories of two overland safari adventures in Africa.

“Being on safari in Africa is exhilara ng.

There’s something special about traveling amongst the vast landscapes and spectacular African wildlife that invigorates the soul.

“The trips were from Cape Town to Nairobi, in a truck with about 16 people as part of the tour group. In the Serenge there are designated areas where the tour groups were allowed to camp in the wilderness, so for safety, we

would pitch our tents in a ght circle around the vehicle. Elephants would wander past, and you could hear lions serenading in the early evening. You would think that the noise of wild animals would keep you awake, but it’s surprisingly relaxing and soothes you to sleep.

“You do feel a tad nervous being only in a tent, but there are park rangers that patrol the areas where tour groups camp to keep an eye on any of the large animals that may come close to the group.

“I’ve seen all the ‘big five’ which was a fantasc experience, and had the thrill of hot air ballooning over the Serenge , with a champagne full cooked breakfast served to us at the area the balloon landed.

“One of my most memorable experiences was at the Ngorongoro crater, where a lioness was only about a metre away from us, when all of a sudden her cubs jumped up onto the bonnet of the vehicle we were in. They were adorable. On another interes ng occasion in Botswana, we were traveling in an open-top bus, where we came close to some elephants.

We were told by the driver to stay seated, but of course there was a couple of people who decided to stand, which spooked the elephants into a frenzy. They stomped their feet, swayed their trunks and make a huge amount of noise, so our driver got out of there fast before they got any more aggressive,” Jo said.

Back home, being born and bred in the Ashburton area, Jo is thrilled that her business is able to give back to the community that she loves to call home.

“Because the community is pivotal to the

33

success of our business, we give back to the community where we can. We are a sponsor of the EA Networks Sports Centre, and many other organisa ons. Each year we assist the Ashburton A&P Show through developing the show bags,” Jo said.

With a team that has now grown to include an Account Manager, three Graphic Design ar sts, and an a er school web coder, Jo attributes much of JFM’s great reputa on to the hard work and dedica on of her staff.

“I see my team go above and beyond on a regular basis to offer the very best to our clients, and that is something that I am very proud to see. It’s important to me that they are happy in their work, and have the opportunity to grow as individuals,” Jo said.

With such dedica on to her business and clients, as well as to her partner James and his three children, two of which live with the couple, it’s hard to imagine that Jo would have any me le to dedicate to other outside interests. However Jo is also a member of Zonta, and a strong advocate of women in business, and advancing the status of women amongst the community.

Jo was also a founding member that helped launch the Ashburton Chapter of BNI, a business networking group that meet weekly to refer business leads.

Jo has a so spot for a well brewed, strong cup of coffee. If you see her in one of our fine local cafés, and would like some advice for your business, don’t be shy to introduce yourself.

That first step could open your business up to a new world of opportunity.

YOU apps

34

Keep that battery

buzzing you

I

magazine

t is the all-too-common statement of most smartphone users: “my phone has shocking ba ery life”.

In this day and age we would expect our phones to last at least few days and have an invincible ba ery life, but as we rely even more on our smartphones to give us the answers at our finger ps, the more stress we put on them.

But thankfully I have found an app for iPhone users which helps monitor and even lengthen the ba ery life so it doesn’t die when you need it most.

Ba ery Saver, rated as the number one u lity app, highlights to the user what parts of their phone are open and sucking unnecessary power out of the ba ery.

It even calculates how much longer your ba ery will run if aspects of your phone, such as GPS or Bluetooth, are switched off.

There is also a sec on which tells the phone owner when to charge, but more importantly when not to, as charging a full ba ery can take its toll on the overall quality.

WITH A LITTLE APPLICATION

BY MYLES HUME Skep cal of this app (thinking it was too good to be true) I thought I’d see just how much extra me I could get out of my phone by adhering to the commands of Ba ery Saver, while not using my phone any more or less than usual.

A er closing down my GPS, reducing the

Looking for something quick and easy for lunch or tea?

Come and get tasty savouries from SSims’ bakery!

mbering to close brightness and remembering ne I was not usdown apps on my phone ing, I got another half day more out ually would. of my phone than I usually I could also keep an accurate h me my measure on how much his app’s ba ery had le with this “ba ery status” func on.

Already pre y happyy with pp, I my discovery of this app, w easy was oblivious as to how ear it was to use and its clear instruc ons on how to o save power made it all the be er.

Apps are there to help p make our lives easier or enjoyable, and this one allows just that extra bit more.

Overall, a useful app that should not be underes mated.

Has your windscreen got a chip or a crack?

Need to fix it quickly and effectively!

ͻ ͻ ͻ ͻ

Pies Bacon and Egg Slice Pizza Slice Pinwheels

Call Owen or Wayne at Wilson’s Windscreens and get the best advice to repair or replace your windscreen.

They’re here for your emergency!

Your premises or ours!

Phone 03 308 5774

123 Main South Road - Ashburton

152 Wills Street, Ashburton Ph 03 308 8485 Mobile 0274 345 636

YOU

35

0[»Z [PTL [V NL[ PU [OL NHYKLU

>OVSLZHSL SHUKZJHWL Z\WWSPLZ KPYLJ[ [V [OL W\ISPJ! )HYR :JYLLULK ZVPS 6HTHY\ Z[VUL

6YNHUPJ *VTWVZ[ 9VJRZ HUK IV\SKLYZ :HUK :OPUNSL HUK :[VULZ *VUJYL[L +LSP]LY` ZLY]PJL H]HPSHISL WS\Z H -9,, SVHU [YHPSLY

$VKEXUWRQ &RQWUDFWLQJ /LPLWHG

GOLD PARTNER

7 ( +VIZVU :[YLL[ >LZ[ (ZOI\Y[VU > ^^^ HZOJVU JV Ua

YOU and your garden

36

Braving the winter for a spot of pruning you magazine aga gazziin ga MY BACKYARD

BY MICHELLE NELSON

O

kay so it’s not been gardening weather – especially in Rakaia, where I’m fast learning how hard those winds howl down the gorge.

I’ve had a four-day weekend, and braved the wind to do some pruning – the roses and hydrangeas had a haircut; I didn’t even need to rake the off-cuts into a heap; the prevailing nor’wester lodged them firmly up against the boundary fence in a few seconds!

I know that the hardcore gardeners will be saying it’s too early to prune the roses back, but believe me these bad boys seriously met the secateurs for the first me since they came out of the plas c bag – and as my dad says – you can’t kill a rose!

And there’s no saying whether I will have a chance to wield the pruning shears next month – unless the weather gods smile sweetly on us – but should that happen, there’s s ll wood to come off those roses yet.

To be honest, I’ve never really pruned a hydrangea – I remember dead-heading them with my Nana, other than that all I know is that these plants need certain levels of soil acidity to bloom in different colours.

But moving along from the pruning projects, and having reacclima sed to Mid Canterbury winter weather, I recognise there will be no outdoor plan ng any me soon.

With this in mind, I made a foray into my daughter’s garage in Christchurch last week; to see what remained of my gardening “stuff”. It has been in storage there for five years, and as I was not in New Zealand when the earthquakes

Above – Roses are being tricked into some spring growth after some unseasonal nor’west warmth.

Top right – Any advice from our readers on how to correctly prune hydrangeas?

Right – My roses have taken a pruning, but I’m not done yet.

hit, the experience of es ma ng damage was new to me. Thankfully, I was le with a big pile of ceramic pots intact!

I have planted frost-sensi ve herbs in the pots; the staples – parsley, coriander, basils and Vietnamese mint. I’m a big chilli fan, and use a wide variety of these fiery fruits – in fact there’s not much I don’t add chilli to. Most chillies will grow in a sunlit indoor area, so I’ve sown a few seeds in containers which can be moved outside once the winter is done and dusted.

Tiny, power-packed microgreens are another

winter winner. In recent years these nutrientdense super foods have found their way on to menus across the globe – from fine dining establishments to cafes, from supermarkets to farmers’ markets.

A cross between a sprout and a leafy vegetable harvested at about two to three cen metres tall, microgreens are expensive to buy but cheap and easy to grow, indoors or out.

Almost any herb, le uce, salad green or beet can be grown as a microgreen. Look for prepacked microgreen seed mixes, or use up those

le over seeds from last summer.

Sca er the seed over a firm bed of wellwatered po ng mix about 10cm deep, barely cover with po ng mix – just enough to hide the seed. Place in a spot that gets maximum sunshine and within two weeks you will have microgreens – snip off when the first true leaves have formed and add to s rfries, omele es, salads, soups and stews.

The containers will usually sprout again, a er the first harvest, and the po ng mix can be reused several mes over. Easy as!

YOU

37

r wind g

y

ves

er

Lochlea Lifestyle Resort There are now three newly completed villas ready for ŽĐĐƵƉĂƟŽŶ͊ ^ŝƚƵĂƚĞĚ ŽŶ ϲ͘Ϯ ŚĞĐƚĂƌĞƐ ŝŶ ZĂĐĞĐŽƵƌƐĞ ZŽĂĚ ŝƐ ƐŚďƵƌƚŽŶ͛Ɛ ƉƌĞŵŝĞƌ ůŝĨĞƐƚLJůĞ ƌĞƐŽƌƚ ǀŝůůĂŐĞ ĨŽƌ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ĂŐĞĚ ϲϬ LJĞĂƌƐ ĂŶĚ ŽǀĞƌ͘ džƉƌĞƐƐŝŽŶƐ ŽĨ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ĂƌĞ ŝŶǀŝƚĞĚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚŝƐ ĨĂďƵůŽƵƐ ĐŽŵƉůĞdž ǁŚŝĐŚ ŝƐ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚůLJ ƵŶĚĞƌ ĐŽŶƐƚƌƵĐƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ǁŝůů ĞǀĞŶƚƵĂůůLJ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ ϭϬϳ ƚǁŽͲĂŶĚͲƚŚƌĞĞ ďĞĚƌŽŽŵ ǀŝůůĂƐ͕ ϭϬ ĂŐĞ ĐĂƌĞ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ Ă ϳϬ ƚŽ ϴϬ ďĞĚ ŚŽƐƉŝƚĂů ǁŝƚŚ ĂƩĂĐŚĞĚ ĚĞŵĞŶƟĂ ƵŶŝƚƐ͘

What to plant All of these seeds grown as microgreens will provide your family with an excellent source of vitamins and minerals through the winter months:

dŚĞ ŚƵď ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǀŝůůĂŐĞ ǁŝůů ďĞ >ŽĐŚůĞĂ >ŽĚŐĞ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ĐĞŶƚƌĞ ĨŽƌ Ăůů ƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ǀŝƐŝƚŽƌƐ͘ ůŽƚ ŽĨ ƚŚŽƵŐŚƚ ŚĂƐ ŐŽŶĞ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĚĞƐŝŐŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ůŽĚŐĞ͕ ĂŶĚ ŝƚ ǁŝůů ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ ŵĂŶLJ ŝŶĚŽŽƌ ĂŶĚ ŽƵƚĚŽŽƌ ĨĂĐŝůŝƟĞƐ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ ƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚƐ͛ ůŽƵŶŐĞ͕ ůŝďƌĂƌLJ͕ ǁŽƌŬƐŚŽƉƐ͕ ďŽǁůŝŶŐ ŐƌĞĞŶ͕ ďĂƌďĞĐƵĞ ĂƌĞĂ͕ ƉƵƫŶŐ ŐƌĞĞŶ͕ ŝŶĚŽŽƌ ƐǁŝŵŵŝŶŐ ƉŽŽů Θ ƐƉĂ͕ ŐLJŵŶĂƐŝƵŵ ĂŶĚ ŵƵĐŚ ŵŽƌĞ͘ dŚŝƐ ŐĂƚĞĚ ĐŽŵƉůĞdž ǁŝůů ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞ Ă ƐĂĨĞ ĂŶĚ ƐĞĐƵƌĞ ůŝǀŝŶŐ ĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ŝƐ ƐŝƚƵĂƚĞĚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ŶŽƌƚŚͲǁĞƐƚ ƐŝĚĞ ŽĨ ƐŚďƵƌƚŽŶ͕ ĂŶ ŝĚLJůůŝĐ ƐĞŵŝͲƌƵƌĂů ůŽĐĂƟŽŶ ǁŝƚŚ ŵŽƵŶƚĂŝŶ ǀŝĞǁƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ƌĞƐŽƌƚ ŝƐ ŽŶůLJ ĂŶ ŚŽƵƌ͛Ɛ ĚƌŝǀĞ ƚŽ ŚƌŝƐƚĐŚƵƌĐŚ ĂŶĚ dŝŵĂƌƵ͘

Adjacent to the resort is Lochlea Estate ^ƚĂŐĞ ϭ ŶŽǁ ƐĞůůŝŶŐ ƐĞĐƟŽŶƐ ĞŶƋƵŝƌŝĞƐ ǁĞůĐŽŵĞ

– Any variety of le uce – Any variety of cabbage – Radish greens – Beets – Spinach – Kale – Watercress – Asian greens – Peas – Basil

“New villas to view” Enquiries to Tony Sands, Resort Manager ŽŶƚĂĐƚ ϬϯͲϯϬϳͲϵϬϴϬ &ƌĞĞ ƉŚŽŶĞ ϬϴϬϬͲϮϳϮϳͲϴϯϳ ŌĞƌ ŚŽƵƌƐ͗ ϬϯͲϯϬϮͲϲϴϴϳ ŵĂŝů͗ ƚŽŶLJΛůŽĐŚůĞĂƌĞƐŽƌƚ͘ĐŽ͘Ŷnj

Provisonal member of RVA.

YOU social scene

38 Ashburton Society of Artts An nn nual Ex xhibiitio on

PHOTO KIRSTY CLAY 100613-KC-031

Sandy Jackson-Donlan, Brad MacDonald and Heather Sarin.

100613-KC-029

Adrienne Prendergast (left) and Sylvia McKay.

100613-KC-019

Margaret and Richard Bolton.

100613-KC-063

Natasha Sim.

100613-KC-022

From left: Margaret Digby, Robin Arnst and Pamela Burdett.

Unique Jewellery for a Unique you...

100613-KC-024

Ali Curwood and Rowena Hart.

Step into our 100 year old cottage and be inspired 1BUDIXPSL GBCSJDT t 1BUUFSOT BOE LJUT t (JGUXBSF t %.$ UISFBET t $MBTTFT

Have you ever wanted to make a quilt?

Join our classes every second Thursday morning, 10am-12.30pm, just $7.50 per class. rachel@anniesquilts.co.nz

Open 7 Days 9.30am - 4.30pm 111 TANCRED STREET, ASHBURTON PHONE 307 6663 www.uniquejewellery.co.nz

designs - manufacture - remakes - repairs - valuations

167 Archibald Street - Main South Road Tinwald, Ashburton - Ph 03 307 6277

www.anniesquilts.co.nz

YOU

39

TrrustPower Community Award ds

110613-KC-087 PHOTOS KIRSTY CLAY 110613-KC-104

From left: Sue Van Den Heuvel, Torika Patterson and Lyndal Lane.

From left â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Liz Ridder, Jenese Houston and Amanda Braidwood.

110613-KC-093

From left â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jeff Withington, Trudy Thompson and Lorayne Oakley.

ORDER YOUR

OFFICE SUPPLIES

ONLINE

110613-KC-099

From left: Stuart Wilson, David Howden and Donna Favel.

110613-KC-096

From left â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Alison Quinn, Elaine Ford, Val Prendergast and Emily Beaton.

110613-KC-103

Murray Thomas (left) and Allan Thompson.

WWW.OFFICESPOT.CO.NZ

605 East Street, Ashburton Ph: (03) 308 1868 DVKEXUWRQ#RIĂ&#x20AC;FHVSRW FR Q]

Promotional terms and conditions apply. Offer applies to selected products in store and is based on lineal metres. )ORRULQJ ;WUD PXVW LQVWDOO WKH Ă&#x20AC;RRULQJ 7KLV RIIHU H[FOXGHV WUDGH FRPPHUFLDO DQG LQVXUDQFH VDOHV DQG FDQQRW EH used in conjunction with any other offer. Valid 1/07/13- 31/07/13.

240 Burnett Street, Ashburton Phone 308 0266 ZZZ Ă RRULQJ[WUD FR Q]

69 9 WA S $

99

32â&#x20AC;?

YOU

s ($ PANEL s 3LIM $IRECT ,%$ s (Z #-2 s &REEVIEW($ TUNER s #ONNECTSHARE 53" s X ($-) s X 53" SKU: 8372450

12

NOW

EASYPAY

5 99 WAS $

99

NOW

9E $9100 $4 V SA

99

SAVE

SAVE

99

$110

s )NTEL #ELERON '(Z s '" 2!- s '" 3TORAGE s v ($ ,%$ $ISPLAY s 7I &I "LUETOOTH s 7INDOWS (OME Premium SKU: 8413536

9

$119

s 7ATT 2-3 OUTPUT s 53" #ONTENTS PLAYBACK s 53" $)RECT RECORDING s !UDIO IN MM JACK s &- 2ADIO

MONTHS

99

A1-810 8â&#x20AC;?

ANDROID TABLET

$30

RICE! HOT P

9 9 4 3 $

9

8â&#x20AC;?

s '(Z 1UAD #ORE 0ROCESSOR s '" (ARD $RIVE s X ($ $ISPLAY s !NDROID *ELLY "EAN /3 s -0 #AMERA SKU:8414617

SKU: 8372674

ON EVERYTHING OVER $499

PLUS A $50 GIFT CARD

OR

+6 18

9 149 WAS $

LG CM1530 CD MICRO SYSTEM

$589

1000-1333T LAPTOP

UA32F4000MXRD 32â&#x20AC;? HIGH DEFINITION LED/LCD TV

CHOOSE T OUR BES R! EVE offERs

NOW

15 9 9 WA S $

99

G F ins, r, spo HIN es, curta outdoo RYT plias,ncheating, EVErniture, ap puter fu , com beds

Gift

Card ME

THING

FOR

UR

HO

YO

EVERY

Enjoy

t a gif

â&#x20AC;Ś from

MONTHS DEFERRED MONTHS EASYPAY

DC29 MULTI FLOOR VACUUM s 2ADIX #YCLONEŠ Technology HOT s ,IFETIME HEPA Filter SKU: 7729270

NOW

s 2ADIAL #YCLONEŠ 4ECHNOLOGY s "ALLTM Technology s ,IFETIME (%0! &ILTER RICE! s -INI TURBINE HEAD HOT P 99 to pick up pet hair

!

PRICE

$649

99

$879

SKU: 8036741

24 MONTHS

EASYPAY

OR

30

MONTHS

EASYPAY

ON EVERYTHING OVER $499

s , 7ATER #ONSUMPTION s 0LACE SETTINGS s 0ROGRAMMES s 3TAR 7ATER 2ATING s 3TAR %NERGY 2ATING

WASHSMART TM 8KG 67 9 WA S $

99

NOW

s !UTO 7ATER ,EVEL s ,ID ,OCK s ,OAD 3ENSING s 3TAR 7ATER 2ATING s 3TAR %NERGY 2ATING

$529 SAVE

99

$150

SKU: 7859861

JASON RECLINER LOUNGE SUITE ST HENRI 3+2 SEATER LEATHER LOUNGE SUITE

Comfort plus! Hardwearing Pellissima and a generous size.

This 4 recliner suite has it all!

With bold lines and contemporary style, this suite looks great in any decor. $349 9

OR

$32 99

TRA D

9

$1000 W I TH E-IN* T RA D

99

E-IN*

*Trade-in is for your old lounge suite in good overall condition

*Trade-in is for your old lounge suite in good overall condition

OUTBACK 5 PIECE BEDROOM SUITE WITH QUEEN HEADBOARD

PROUDLY MADE IN NEW ZEALAND

$2499

OR

$1599 99

BLACK LABEL QUEENSIZE MATTRESS AND BASE

OR

9 9 9 2 $2 99

9900 $2W4 ITH $10 99

99

$900 WITH -IN* E D TRA

This bed features a luxurious pillow top for enhanced comfort. The inďŹ nity pocket spring system helps relieve pressure points, reducing tossing and turning. *Trade-in is for your old Bed in good overall condition

EASYPAYÂŽ OPTION MEANS ALL YOU PAY IS THE ADVERTISED PRICE PLUS INSURANCE & CREDIT FEES. CONDITIONS APPLY, SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS.

99

S

HDW100WCT DISHWASHER

SKU: 7422355

ON EVERYTHING OVER $499

THATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

90 $1A1V9 E $40

DC39 ANIMAL VACUUM

Wow! All this at a sensational price. Made from solid recycled timber

Package Includes Queen Headboard 3 Drawer Beside x2 5 Drawer Tallboy 8 Drawer Dresser Package Total

$399.99 ea. $249.99 $799.99 $1049.99 $2749.95

Mattress, base, pillows & linen sold seperately

38 Kermode St, ASHBURTON Ph: 307 9110

EASYPAYÂŽ OPTION MEANS ALL YOU PAY IS THE ADVERTISED PRICE PLUS INSURANCE & CREDIT FEES. EASYPAYÂŽ IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF SMITHS CITY (SOUTHERN) LIMITED. MINIMUM PURCHASE FOR EASYPAYÂŽ OPTION IS $499 (OTHER PAYMENT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE LESS THAN $499). ALL FINANCE OFFERS ARE SUBJECT TO NORMAL CREDIT GRANTING PROCEDURES. AN INSURANCE CHARGE AND CREDIT FEES ARE REQUIRED. A DEPOSIT MAY BE REQUIRED ON COMPUTERS, MOBILE PHONES, CAR AUDIO PRODUCTS AND NEW ACCOUNTS. INTEREST IS CHARGED FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE, HOWEVER IF YOU COMPLETE THE ACCOUNT IN FULL WITHIN THE EASYPAYÂŽ OPTION PERIOD ALL YOU PAY IS THE ADVERTISED PRICE PLUS THE CREDIT FEES AND INSURANCE CHARGE. WEEKLY PAYMENTS IF STATED ARE BASED ON A 36 MONTH TERM AND INCLUDE BOOKING AND CREDIT FEES, INSURANCE & INTEREST CHARGE. APPLE PRODUCTS, SELECTED COMPUTERS, GAME CONSOLES & SOME PROMOTIONAL ITEMS ARE NOT AVAILABLE IN CONJUNCTION WITH DISCOUNT OR EASYPAYÂŽ OPTIONS OFFERS. UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED, DISPLAY ACCESSORIES ARE NOT INCLUDED. DEPENDING ON COLOUR AND COMBINATION, SOME LOUNGE FURNITURE MAY HAVE TO BE ORDERED TO CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS. ALL OFFERS AND PRICES IN THIS ADVERTISEMENT ARE VALID FOR A MAXIMUM OF SEVEN DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION OR WHILE STOCKS LAST. SOME PRODUCTS MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE IN SOME STORES.

C KA GE S A PA BU Y A LY N O R FO

$1699

95

1050 SAVE $

EVERYTHING FOR YOUR HOME

1317