Two Fuse Gelnamels worth £35 each to be won

FUSE™ GELNAMEL™, is the first all-in-one gel polish hybrid for high shine and no chip nails at home.

 It has all the fun and flexibility of a polish, with the quick dry and gloss of a gel! If you’re in hot pursuit of a next generation 'at home' manicure at a fraction of the time and expense; reach for the new “must-have”, “most requested” product of 2014.

 FuseTM is not a gel, it's not a polish - it's actually the world's first Gelnamel! This new breed of 'super nailcare' already has huge interest with customers prior to its launch and brings together the best of polish and the best of gels, delivering salon-worthy results at a speed, ease and price like nothing before.


 

 FuseTM offers one-coat coverage, so no need for a base or top coat, just paint and go'. Created by the makers of SensatioNail®, its the No1 at-home gel polish brand, FUSE Gelnamel features an all-in-one formula that delivers one-coat coverage from start to finish and a proprietary anti-chip technology that seamlessly provides megawatt shine that lasts! Perfect for any woman who wants, on-the go beauty FUSE Gelnamel uses a super-fast, USB charged via your laptop or car socket, ultra-portable LED lamp that allows nails to be done virtually anywhere!

With the simple press of a button, the reflective interior cures Gelnamel in 30 seconds, while the groove on the inside promises proper placement under the LED bulb. It’s a base coat, hi-impact color and top coat in 1: Sweep Fuse on and instantly - your manicure is done. Quick-seal Fuse in a flash using the sleek, ultra-safe, speed-dry LED lamp.

In 5 minutes you’re 100% dry, done and out the door. Grab your keys, there’s no smearing. Get Excited Fuse dazzles for days. Text your friends, hit the gym, party on. This color works overtime. No chipping or peeling -no matter what you do.

And when you’re ready to swap shades, Fuse removes in a snap without harming skin or natural nails. Elixir has 2 starter kits in Na - No way - a seriously bright pink - each worth £35 to give away to two winners.

To win this innovative product all you have to do is answer a simple question on the page by clicking this link.

 FUSE can also be used on toes. Simply lift and turn the top portion of lamp and follow normal usage instructions. To remove, use 100% acetone with the SensatioNail® Gel Polish Removal Kit and Gel Polish Removal Tool.

Win £60 0f BeautyLab anti-ageing skin products

BeautyLab® specialises in identifying, researching and pioneering beauty product ingredients to provide modern day consumers with innovative beauty and lifestyle product. The company was first: to bring onto the market a tanning product with an exclusive peptide that mimics the tanning activities of the sun on the skin resulting in a superb safe beach looking tan (Peptide Tanning®) to launch a high performance anti-ageing moisturiser using a tri-peptide collagen that stimulates the skin’s own collagen production (Skin Perfecting Moisture Cream) to bring consumers a peptide that stimulates and re-activates the skin’s own natural stem cells to help reverse the ageing process (Cellular Serum) to bring customers red carpet beauty treatment and products designed for Hollywood celebrities using Black Diamond and genstones for a perfect airbrushed and flawless look. (Black Diamond Facial - Black Diamond Energizing Serum - Black Diamond Moisture Complex) BeautyLab’s formulations are based on natural extracts, oils, actives and high performance peptides and proteins. No Paraben, No Lanolin, No Petroleum and Not Tested On Animals. They are thoroughly tested on our volunteer panel for safety and performance. Elixir has a prize to giveaway of the following BeautyLab products worth a total of £60. BeautyLab is sold online at www.beautylab.co.uk and at the exclusive London Store Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge. For chance to win all you have to do is answer the simple question at the bottom of the this page. WIN BeautyLab Micropolish Dermabrasion - £45 for 50ml This luxurious and effective formulation contains Quartz & gold dust for gentle skin polishing whilst the glyco-peel provides an optimum cell renewal action. A twice a week tonic for most skin types. Hypo-allergenic. Beautylab Micropolish Dermabrasion

This product: Helps Remove Dead Skin Cells Stimulates Circulation Brighter and Younger Looking Skin Contains: Quartz Gold Glyco-Peel Blackcurrant Melon WIN BeautyLab Tri-peptide Collagen Lip Plump - £15 for 2ml

Beautylab®’s team of experts continue to push the skincare boundaries by constantly reviewing and delivering new formulation propositions.A rich hydrating lip plumping cream with collagen tripeptide technology designed for fuller lips, fine line reduction and protection against UV. Benefits: • Stimulates circulation • Plumps and moisturises • Anti-aging Actives: • Collagen tripeptide • Phospholipids • Palm oil • Zinc Clear • Capsicum • Silk For a chance to win this exclusive duo click on this link and answer a simple question in the competition part of the page

Win the must-have diet book that helps you Talk Yourself Slim

This is the book for anyone fed up with diets that don't work.  So if you want to lose weight and keep it off - enter our competition at the end of this page.  We have three copies of this bestseller, each worth £9.99 to give away.All you need to do is answer the simple question below. Talk Yourself Slim with the Self-Chatter Diet was written from John Richardson’s childhood observations of his grandfather and mother. His grandfather was slim, and a naturally healthy weight, whereas his mother was not, and this was the true cause of her early disablement. Diets don’t work, do they? Not conventional, out-of-date, orthodox, restrictive diets – these are one of the fundamental instigators of obesity in the world today, fueled by the same diet industry that masquerades as a ‘solution provider’. It is not food that makes people overweight, but the behavioural manner in which food is eaten, and until obesity is addressed and treated behaviourally, no solution will ever be found. In this book you will discover the true cause of obesity: beliefs, habits and associations. Richardson first provides a way in which these rogue behaviours can be identified. He then questions them and challenges them, allowing readers to form a general understanding of a method through which they can be changed. Talk Yourself Slim was written to facilitate permanent weight-loss success, and nothing more. This simple yet highly effective method is uniquely innovative in its approach, ideal for anyone fed up of diets that don’t work, who wants to lose weight and keep it off! John Richardson is founder and owner of The Feelbetterfast Clinic, home of the original Dr Rocket’s Hypno-Gastric Band Procedure. He gained his diploma in Holistic Hypnotheray under the guidance of one of the UK’s leading analytical holistic hypnotherapists, and was also taught the secrets of the stage hypnotist by David Knight, principal of The British Academy of Hypnosis, of which he became Master Hypnotist. To enter the competition click on this link and answer a simple question. Good luck!

MORE BUILDERS' BUMS THAN BURKAS IN BEIRUT

Beirut is not at all what you might think of a city in the Middle East. For a start you notice that it's not very Middle Eastern  - its very green, with parks and trees, beautiful architecture and the cleanest streets I have ever seen anywhere.  It has more a feeling of Marbella with new apartments going up, marinas full of yachts and beaches where girls wear bikinis. 

There is also a cafe society atmosphere in the city centre, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings which just like London are party nights. And one of its nightclubs has the accolade of being  voted the No1 in the world by MTV (more about the Skybar later!). Beirut also has great restaurants serving mezze - the starters that centre around the freshest vegetables, the cracked wheat tabboule salad with mint, tomatoes and cucumber, hummous and moutabal (eggplant and sesame dip). And alcohol, including the great local wines that come from the Bekkar Valley and arak, a local beverage made from grape alcohol and aniseed, are also freely available.  

And surprisingly you see very few women wearing Burkas here - less than in London in fact. You are more likely to see a builder's bum than a burka - as these young men (pictured below) were determined, in the spirit of fun,  to show us!

The reality is that the Lebanon has undergone an economic transformation in the last 20 years with investment in new infrastructure, including hotels and tourism, mainly flooding in from the neighbouring wealthy Gulf economies. When you look around Beirut you can see the evidence with cranes on the skyline and the regeneration of the once devastated city centre. The top names in exclusive retail are already in evidence including French designer Chanel (pictured below), the Italian Ferragammo and Gerard Darel. 

Chanel Beirut

The five star, Le Gray, for example is a joint venture, was built by a consortium of local businessman headed by Scot entrepreneur Gordon Campbell Gray who also owns the stylish No1 Aldwych in London. It has 87 rooms and suites, as well as a state-of-the-art gym and spa. And the views from the rooftop restaurant are spectacular  with a vista of the whole city as well as the nearby port.

Le Gray Hotel Beirut - five star luxury with a rooftop pool, restaurant and spa

Le Gray's roof top pool in Beirut

Beirut is also fairly easy to get to  - about 30 minutes by plane from Cyprus and just over four hours from London so great for a weekend break, especially when the weather in Europe is cold and rainy in the spring or autumn. If its sun, sand and sea you are after then the Mövenpick Hotel & Resort is perfect as its right on the beach and has a pool which stays open to 10pm in the evening. The hotel's marina is also where a lot of the party action takes place on boats and yachts!

As you would expect there are many mosques, one of the most beautiful in the Middle East, is the blue tiled  Mohammed Al-Amin - which can be seen from the rooftop (pictured below) of the Le Gray but there are also many Churches and Synagogues too. And its not unusual for them to be build side-by-side. 

Like its neighbour Syria, the Lebanon is a place of religious tolerance with a mix of Muslims (59.9%) and Christian (39%) -  the multi-faceted civil war which ravaged the country killing nearly a quarter of a million people, injuring and displacing many more ended in 1990.  

A church with a mosque in the background near the Place de l'Etoile in Beirut city centre

Yes there are still bullet holes in some of the buildings but you have to look hard to see them  - and if you really want to know more about the war a local tourist guide can point out the demarcation and battle lines.  

New offices, apartments and marinas for sale

A wealth management advert dominates the sidewalk

The hard fought battle for economic recovery and political stability is also why the Lebanese have taken a neutral position with what is currently happening in neighbouring Syria.

A top of the range Jaguar parked outside a shopping mall

We visit Beirut during the week after the Queen's Jubilee Celebrations when the British Embassy has a drive to promote all things British.  Not only is it promoting British goods and services and the strong links between the two countries - it also coincides with a British business delegation to the Middle East.

The British Ambassador Tom Fletcher (pictured below) - at the age of 36 - is the youngest ever Ambassador in the history of the role which goes right back to Queen Elizabeth 1. Tom is a new style Ambassador who brims with enthusiasm for the Lebanon and  gets into the thick of things without pomp and ceremony - even speaking to humble journalists and answering their sometimes crazy questions.  He bubbles over with enthusiasm for the Lebanon after being there for less than a year.  And in these austere times has found a way to give a unique gift without compromising his expenses by making his own marmalade from the oranges in the embassy garden.

Her Majesty's Ambassador Tom Fletcher promotes British opportunities

There are strong traditional ties between Britain and the Lebanon, particularly in the area of shipping and insurance.  There are about 2,000 British nationals working in Beirut.

When visiting a city with a reputation for kidnappings and the like, a tourist may well be concerned about security. But the local police have a strong if informal presence - they dress in white, black and grey fatigues and can be seen on security checkpoints on the street and also on major road routes.  All the hotels and shopping malls have security checks - just as the same as in Turkey and the rest of the Middle East.  There  is a feeling that it is all a wise precaution and everyone is all the safer for it and good humoured about it all.

Police patrols and checkpoints are normal in Beirut 

And we saw something you would never see in the centre of any British town: at the Roman Baths. a public events venue right in the centre, all the sound equipment was left outside, together with an electronic till and a fridge freezer full of ice-creams - I know because I took a peek inside! All that stuff would get nicked even if it was nailed down in a UK city centre!

Not seen in the UK or Europe! A cash till and a refrigerator safe from thieves in the middle of the city

Most of the main sites are close together in the centre and we are there in the midday heat of a Friday and its very quiet - partly because of the heat but because its prayer time at the mosques. There are many cafes and restaurants (pictured below) in and around Nijmeh Square (Place de l'Etoile). 

Cafes and Restaurants in the centre of Beirut leading to Nijmeh Square (Place de l'Etoile) 

One McDonalds that is hard to spot!

A place of tribute to the assassinated former Prime Minister, Rafic Al-Hariri, next to the Mohammed Al-Amin Mosque 

Salvatore Ferragamo Beirut

As I mentioned before Friday night is party night and the place to be is the Sky Bar which just opened for the summer season with a volley of fireworks.  I have never experienced such energy in a nightclub - maybe its dancing in the open air at what seems the top of the world.  They may be drinking but everyone is polite and just having fun. I stay till chucking out time!

Skybar is dominated by the Smirnoff bar - voted the Best Nightclub in the World by MTV

I cannot finish this article without mention of the Lebanese people.  Despite all the hardship of the past and constant threat of instability, the local people smile in the face of hardship.  On our way to the Bekkar Valley we stopped outside a roadside cafe where we met this man - with only a handful of beads to earn a living.  Like the people of Syria the Lebanese are warm and welcoming.  Smiling comes easy to them - as our picture clearly shows!

Beirut is  definitely not at all what you think of the Middle East.. so get there before the others find out!!

Places not to miss even on the shortest trip!

Baalbeck - City of the Gods

Baalbeck, named after a Phoenician god, Baal,  is situated in the Bekkar Valley on the Bequaa plain, 70 miles from Beirut, near the border with Syria,  and to get there you cross the lush Bekka valley.

Not far from Baalbeck is another less well known 'ruin' - a rock claimed to be the largest stone in the world, in a Roman quarry just off the main road.  It's custodian is a 54-year-0ld retired army sergeant, Abdul Nabi al-Afi, who has been there since 1991, and who has taken it upon himself go guard the rock without any state help as locals were using the site as a rubbish dump.  He borrowed money from relatives to rent a bulldozer and clean it up.  And now earns cash to support his family by selling postcards and souvenirs to passing tourists.

Abdul Nabi al-Afi is a friendly sort and happy to pose for photos and give you a free coffee even if you don't buy anything! So go to his shop and buy something!

Former army sergeant, Abdul Nabi al-Afi chatting to a tourist

The 20 metre-long stone with the ruins of Baalbeck in the background

The complex, which was in the ancient city of Heliopolis, is home to the most important Roman temples in the Middle East, one of which the Acropolis of Baalbeck is larger than the Acropolis in Athens. It is thought to have been completed in AD 150.

On the road there are many army road blocks and the presence of Hezbollah posters and you can see that whilst many of the people are living modestly they are surrounded by some of the most fertile land in the region - in fact the Lebanon has surplus of water much of which goes to Israel, according to our guide.

There are three main temples on the site - the temple of Jupiter, the largest, built during the reign of Emperoror Agustus towards the beginning of the Christian era and finished half a century later under the rule of Nero.  The temple is 88 metres long and 48 metres wide and was originally supported by 88 columns. 

Temple of Jupiter - you can see how enormous it is - see the person in the foreground

Today only six remain but their size - 22 metres high and 2 metres in diameter is impressive.  The masterpiece  of Baalback is undoubtedly the Baccus temple which is extremely well preserved thanks to the the Arab fortifications built around it. 

Temple of Bacchus

Built in the 2nd century AD and linked to the nearby Temple of Jupiter, access to the temple was by an imposing stair case and a colossal dooor finely deocrated with nymphs and mythological deities.

A short distance away stands the temple of Venus, built in the third century

Jeita Grotto

www.jeitagrotto.com

The grotto is a network of 9 km of underground caves covered in stalacites and stalagmites.  They are unlike any I have seen anywhere in the world in their size and beauty - and the only way to describe it is magical.  We sail in a boat along a huge caverns. This attraction is included in the international New&Wonders of Nature

Wineries and Arak

The Lebanon is famous for its wines, made from grapes in vineyards planted by the French when they colonised the country in the 18th century.  The vineyards are mostly in the Bekaar Valley - a huge fertile plain with an ideal climate for vines - long, temperate summers and rainy winters with an average temperature of 25 degrees celsius.

Chateau Ksara

This is the bigggest and oldest winery in the Lebanon and is situated in the Bekaar Valley. 

It began life as a winery in 1857 when the land was farmed by Jesuit priests who continued there until the Vatican ordered the sale of any commercial interests in 1972. It was sold to a consortium of local businessmen.

The wine is stored in natural underground caves - grottos - which stretch over two kilometres - providing ideal humidity and temperature remaining at 13 and 15 degrees celsius all year round.

Ksara uses 20 varieties of grapes, includes the noble varieties - Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay - to produce red, white, rose, sweet wine and arak.  Its signature wine is Cuvee du Troisieme Millenaire which is a red containing Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Syrah.  It is a dense deep purple but not heavy on the palate and an excellent wine. The rose is also a great wine and we have that with our mezze at the restaurant in the nearby town.

There is a wedding going on when we visit - pictured below.

Arak

Arak is a pure grape alcohol that is flavoured with aniseed and served with ice and water and either drank alone or with Oriental mezze. This is an acquired taste but if you like French pastis you will like this too. It's similarly high in alcohol - the bottle I purchased was 53%.

Arak barrels at Chateau Musar

Chateau Musar

The Chateau Musar vineyards are also situated in the Bekaa Valley - only 15 miles from Beirut in an 18th century castle at Ghazir. It was founded in 1930 by Gaston Hochar, although since 1959 it has been run by his two sons Serge and Ronald. 

 This area was ravaged by the civil war, with the wine caves doubling as bomb shelters for the locals and battles rageing around the vineyards. Nowadays its wines, particularly the red are world famous.

The grand vin here is the red Chateau Musar, a blend which may include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsaut, Carignan, Grenache and Mourvedre. The wine is fermented in concrete, before spending one year in vat, then a year in French oak, before going back to a vat for several years. Hochar believes his wine needs years - perhaps ten - before it is ready for drinking, and the wines are already some way towards that age when they are finally released onto the market. 

The white Chateau Musar is made from native varieties which include Merwah and Obaideh. Wines from Chateau Musar are available at Majestic in the UK.

Contact details:
Address: Baroudy str, Sopenco bldg, BP: 281 Ashrafieh, Beirut
Telephone: +961 1-201828, 328111, 328211 
Fax: +961 1-201827

Internet: www.chateaumusar.com.lb 

Email info@chateaumusar.com.lb www.cheateaumusar.com.lb

Fact File

Hotels

Le Gray 5*, Martyrs' Squarre, Central District

T: 961 1 971 111

F: 961 1 971 112

E: info@legray.com

W: www.legray.com

In the heart of historic downtown, 15 mins from the airport, a five star hotel with 87 spacious rooms Spa - PureGray Health Club and Spa - open air chlorine free pool

Movenpick Hotel & Resort 5*

General de Gaulle Avenue, Raouche

T: 961 1 869 666

F: 961 1 809 326

E: hotel.beirut@movenpick.com

W: www.movenpick-beirut.com

Recently renovated has 292 bedrooms, and is the only five star hotel in the city on the sea front - huge pool and spa

Skybar - open air restaurant and bar (booking essential if you want to make sure you get in and note the dress code)

Biel, Beirut

T: 961 3/93 9191

www.sky-bar.com

Flights

British Airways offers 10 flights a week from London Heathrow to Beirut.  The lead-in fare is from £483.79 return including taxes/fees/charges.  To book or for more information visit www.ba.com/Beirut or call 0844 4930787.

About Lebanon: A Heaven on Earth!From its Mediterranean coast to its snow-capped mountains, Lebanon is a unique small country in the region. Named "Switzerland of the Middle East", the country is packed with history, archaeology, natural beauty and a handsome hospitable population full of fun, love and warmth.www.destinationlebanon.gov.lb

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British scientists are behind an antioxidant so powerful it reverses skin ageing

British scientists are behind an antioxidant so powerful that it reverses skin ageing, reducing fine lines and wrinkles in only a few weeks.

MitoQ, the name of the antioxidant and also the name of a new anti-ageing cream containing it, goes on sale next month with the promise of benefits not seen to date in any other anti-wrinkle product.

Firstly, the antioxidant is 1,000 times more powerful than any other on the market and secondly, the makers claim, it's the only one capable of penetrating deep enough into the skin to make a significant difference to wrinkles. And the claims are not hype - they have been validated by a Nobel Laureate Prize to the Cambridge scientist behind it and in prestigious scientific journals.

MitoQ has been scientifically engineered from the antioxidant CoQ10, found naturally in foods such as sardines, and essential to a healthy heart and brain.  But what makes it so potent, as well as its strength, is it’s ability to pass through the outer layer of the mitochondria (these are the energy powerhouses inside every living cell) and where the MitoQ is used as fuel. The mitochondria are subsequently able to function more efficiently as a result.

This means that as the mitochondria are working at optimum function, and the cells in the skin that they energise become younger and refreshed,  fine lines and wrinkles diminish.

The success of MitoQ is now behind a new generation of ground-breaking anti-ageing products being brought to market, including an anti-ageing pill due to go on sale next year. The product pipeline is being developed in New Zealand.

The science behind MitoQ, pioneered by a team led by Dr Michael Murphy, at the Cambridge-based Mitochodrial Dysfunction Laboratory, has been recognised by a Nobel Laureate.  The team found a way to engineer the antioxidant to pass through the mitochondria.

MitoQ promises a real improvement for ageing skin where damage is accelerated by the sun, smoking and a poor lifestyle. The quality of the skin cells deteriorates and they are less able to fight off further damage from free radicals - these are the damaging byproducts of the living process.  When the cells replicate they do so less efficiently resulting in fine lines and other signs of ageing.

When MitoQ is topically applied to the skin, it passes through to the mitochondria, which are re-energised, giving the skin cells better quality fuel, so that they are rejuvenated and able to lay down better quality collagen - thereby making the skin younger.

The claims for MitoQ have been verified by independent sources including Professor John Voorhees MD, former President of the American Academy of Dermatology and Director of the Division of Dermatology at the University of Michigan, who confirms that MitoQ repairs internal and external damage caused by the sun, including pigmentation spots.

And in clinical trials in New Zealand, 50 patients who used the cream for 2 weeks, reported lightening and brightening of skin, as well as the diminishing of fine lines and wrinkles. To see the full benefits MitoQ should be used over the entire skin renewal cycle which is about four weeks and continue with use thereafter.  

At the current time, the only other 'power' antioxdant being used in anti-wrinkle creams is idebenone which is an ingredient in Prevage by Elizabeth Arden (£105, 30ml) - MitoQ is 1,000 times more powerful.

Manufacturer, MitoQ Ltd, is backed by New Zealand and US investors, have decided to launch their product without hype - ie no celebrity face or endorsement and with their miracle ingredient in a base cream generally used for babies bottoms.

Ken Taylor, CEO explains:  "We want the science to speak for itself.  And we also wanted to bring the product to the market and make it as affordable as possible. Putting it in an aqueous cream base without any irritants means that it can easily be used with any other product without a problem."

What Elixir says about this product:

"We don't endorse any product but we have managed to obtain an early sample. The tester who has been using it for three weeks confirms a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles. In particular, a real improvement to the skin quality on the upper eyelid and the neck area where the pores have become more refined."

A full product review will follow on www.elixirnews.com

If you would like to know more about this product email us here customerservices@elixirnews.com 

 

ELIXIR AND ELIXIR INTERNATIONAL - PUBLISHED BY ELIXIR MAGAZINE LTD LONDON

Elixir Magazine and Elixir International Magazine ISSN 1753-3864 are based on an original concept by journalist Avril O'Connor and published by Elixir Magazine Ltd London.

Elixir is the first and only consumer glossy magazine and web e-zine www.elixirnews.comto totally focus on the demand for anti-ageing products and services and support it with expert information on emotional and physical wellbeing.

The website www.elixirnews.com was launched by Avril O'Connor on 2 April 2005.

Elixir Magazine Ltd London

ELIXIR INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY AVRIL O'CONNOR LONDON

Elixir Magazine and Elixir International Magazine have the ISSN 1753-3864 and are published by Avril O'Connor and its sister web e-zine www.elixirnews.com

ELIXIR MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY AVRIL O'CONNOR

Elixir Magazine and Elixir International Magazine have the ISSN 1753-3864 and are published by Avril O'Connor and its sister web e-zine www.elixirnews.com

SILENCE OF THE LAMB - EASTENDERS ACTOR ON HIS BATTLE WITH HEARING LOSS

An act of kindess publicising the plight of some of the world's poorest children has led to popular TV actor Larry Lamb loosing his ability to hear in one ear.

The EastEnders and Gavin and Stacy star was in Senegal for a week with a charity but stopped taking his malaria pills on his return because he felt fine, despite being medically advised he should take them for a further eight days. Three days after his return he developed an unexplained fever thought to be malaria.

Larry was seriously ill for several weeks and at one point thought he was going to die. He had to be hospitalised and put on a drip. Halfway through his illness, he started to notice whining noises in his right ear and was referred to an ear, nose and throat specialist.

The specialist diagnosed an infection of the cochlear nerve in the inner ear, which affected his hearing so badly that he is now completely deaf in his right ear.

"Losing my hearing hs been a nightmare and a real shock to the system, a classic case of not appreciating what you have until it's gone. I have gone from having good hearing in both ears to only having no hearing in one ear practically overnight, it has been very frustrating. To add to that I was getting a horribly staiffback and neck from constantly leaning to try to hear people. As an actor, hearing is so important, so rehearsing and filming was beginning toget very difficult indeed."

Larry, father of DJ George Lamb, says he now appreciates how isolating it is for people with hearing loss.

"If I am sitting with two or three friends it is almost impossible for me to follow the conversation, " he says.

Afte a few weeks Larry sought the help of hearing aid audiocologist Mark Edgar, at Specsavers in Edgware Road, London. Mark confirmed that the malaria Larry had contracted had damaged a large number of hair cells in his inner ear - these are the ones that send electrical signals to the cochlear nerve. The result is similar to age-related hearing loss but much more sudden and profound and means Larry can't hear higher frequencies, especially women and children's voices, and most consonants.

Everyone's hearing will deteriorate at some stage - with age the hair cells in the inner ear lose their efficiency, affecting what we hear. Larry had started to lose his hearing before his trip to Senegal but unfortunately contracting malaria led to an acceleration of this natural process.

This type of sudden loss is quite unsual and the infection that Larry contrcted damaged his hearing so much that he has been left with permenant damage and complete loss of hearing in his right ear. Unfortunately, the ears work together and unless both are working perfectly it can be difficult to hear over background noise as one ear works to drown out the background while the other works to pick up the sound you want to hear.

Larry's sense of localisation - where a sound is coming from - is also impaired, making crossing the road potentially dangerous, explains Mark Edgar of Specsavers.

Colin has since fitted Larry with a state-of-the-art CROS System hearing aid. This is very discreet, the size of a jelly bean, and sends the sounds he should be hearing in his right ear via "Bluetooth" technology to a device worn in his left ear.

"This haring aid has made a huge difference to my life and its an enormous relief to be able to hear again. I can't belive how discreet it is, so much so that people around me don't realise I'm wearing a hearing aid and I even forget its there.

"I am so grateful to Specsavers for giving me back my hearing and I would certainly advise everyone to have regular hearing tests, after all, they are free so what's stopping you?"

Lanzarote Hotel and Spa - our spa spies give their verdict

Year round sunshine and relaxation at the 5* Hesperia Lanzarote Spa and Hotel sounded enticing.

But this was to be our first taste of Lanzarote and I must admit that we approached the holiday nervously, fearing tattoo-covered chavs drinking pints of lager at 10 in the morning. We need not have feared!

Our first impression of the beautiful 5* Hesperia Lanzarote was one of tranquillity and calmness. The entrance lobby is cathedral like in its vastness, with hushed staff bustling about. We were offered a cooling drink on arrival before being shown to our beautiful suite overlooking one of the four swimming pools and the sea.


The hotel, opened in 2003, is located in a quiet corner of the island, away from the tourist spots of Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca and within a 10 minute walk of the upmarket new marina of Puerto Calero where there are fantastic designer shops and a choice of about 10 restaurants along the harbour.


The gardens and terraces of the hotel lead down to the sea and are beautifully maintained. There is even a little shelter built on the edge of the gardens for the local cats, where food and water is left for them. The terraced pool areas are spacious and fantastic for soaking up the rays.


The hotel is large but was very quiet when we were there. The rooms are beautifully furnished with large king size beds and a balcony overlooking the sea or gardens. Our suite even had a Jacuzzi for those relaxing moments after a hard day lying in the sun, sightseeing or enjoying a beauty treatment in the spa. The room was fully equipped with all the usual luxuries such as air conditioning, satellite TV, mini bar, robes and slippers, wireless internet access and of course a hairdryer. Every comfort one could imagine!


The excellent Spa facilities are located below the lobby, in a calm, tranquil area of the hotel. My husband, who is suffering from a recent back injury in a car crash, spent time every day in the thermal massage spa pool where the powerful jets eased out the tension and pain.


The Spa and Wellness Centre is very comprehensive, with a sauna to relax in, a Turkish bath to clear the pores and the large thermal massage spa pool itself. The treatments available are excellent with much emphasis placed on locally available materials such as Aloe Vera and volcanic mud.
There are four restaurants on site although not all were open when we were there and we went out every night to a new local restaurant, most of which were great value for money and offering delicious, locally caught fresh fish. The breakfasts at the hotel were excellent and enormous. The vast buffet offered everything one could ever dream of eating for breakfast (and also some things that you wouldn’t dream of eating or drinking at that time of day!). Eggs were cooked to order, freshly baked bread of every shape and size was available, beautiful fresh fruit, hams, sausages, bacon, on and on! We ate so much most mornings that lunch was often missed!
We were so sad to leave the beautiful tranquil surroundings of the Hesperia Lanzarote and are already planning our return trip.

GADGETS - THREE OF THE BEST FOR TONING ARMS

The T Bow

The T-Bow is a great all-round exercise device from Swizerland which can be used to at home as well as in a class. It reminds me of the Step but you can do more since it is curved so you can use it both up and upside down - stepping on it as a platform, using it as a bench to do press ups and standing on the edges of the curve and rocking from side to side to build up strength and balance, as well as using it with bands. It takes up very little space and is very versatile.

It comes with a DVD and a set of different stretch bands. The exercises are easy to master, even for someone at beginner stage fitness. Our tester tried the T-Bow for three weeks and noticed an overall improvement in cardio-vascular fitness and the bands helped improve arm definition and strength. She was very pleased with the results.

The T-BOW home pack (including T-BOW, DVD and stretch bands) is available from www.t-bow.co.uk for £125 including delivery. Rating 8/10.



Shake Weight

The dumbbell-shaped device is an arm strengthening and toning hand weight which you move back and forth.

Our picture shows the wife of Liverpool Captain, Stven Gerrard using the device which uses as technology called "dynamic inertia" to create vibration which gains momentum.

When held, the weight has a vibrating motion which looks sexually suggestive. The Shake Weight is aimed at women's hard-to-shift bingo wings, there is also a bigger, longer version for men.

Our tester found it hard to get the hang of the movement required but after persisting got the hand of it. Arm and muscle strength both improved in two weeks of use.

The Shake Weight™ retails at £29.95, does not require batteries and comes complete with a bonus workout DVD. Available from www.highstreettv.com and Tesco stores For stockist information or to order by phone, please call 0800 883 8224. Our rating 7/10


Slendertone System Arms

The System-Arms garment for women is an easy to use arm toner working the tricep (triceps brachii) muscles in the upper arm to eliminate bingo wings. The makers advise that you use it 5 times a week for 4 weeks to improve upper arm definition.

Slendertone works by electrically stimulating the muscles. The System using a core control device which can be attached to various garments with pads to stimulate particular muscles - arms, abs, buttocks etc. You attach the arm garment, click on the control and set the strength and frequency of the contractions.

It's really a lazy person's device or for someone who wants an extra boost, perhaps after injury, because you can't really do anything while you have the pads on.

Our tester used the device regularly for four weeks. She felt stronger but wasn't sure whether her arms looked more toned. Our rating 5/10. Slendertone Arms with the controller costs £119.98. Buy online at www.slendertone.com

VINOTHERAPY IN THE GREEN HEART OF ITALY

The famous vineyards of Lungarotti








Tre Vaselle pool - relax with a view of the Umbrian hills




Where vinotherapy means bathing and drinking wine!

Anyone who knows us at Elixir, knows our passion for a glass ….or two of wine - particularly because it contains high amounts of anti-ageing antioxidants! So they might perhaps understand the shock of sampling vinotherapy in Italy for the first time.

After one of the best massages I can ever remember I was relaxing in the bath tub (pictured), already containing what I assumed to be grape extracts when the spa therapist uncorked a perfectly good bottle of red wine and poured its contents into the bath. Seeing the look of pure horror she relented and saved a glass, saying it wasn’t good to drink too much in the spa.

So with glass in hand I not only tasted but relaxed and bathed in the revitalizing and antioxidant vapours of one of the fine wines of Torgiano – a hilltop village in the heart of the famous DOC and DOCG wine region of Umbria.

The Bellauve Vinotherapy Spa is indeed a gem. It is peaceful and beautiful, with indoor and outdoor pools, Turkish baths, gym and outdoor relaxation areas surrounded by olive groves and views of the Umbrian Hills.

The spa is set in one of the region’s most exclusive five-star hotels, the Relais Hotel Le Tre Vasalle. The hotel, in a 17th century house and whose name refers to the ancient ceramic winejugs, is in a narrow street in what was once a fortified village in the Middle Ages, near ancient towns of Perugia (5 miles) and Assisi (10 miles).


Surrounded by antique furniture and paintings, each of the 60 bedrooms is furnished differently, giving it has the atmosphere of a grand country home – perfect for a romantic getaway. The restaurant, Le Melograine, reworks traditional Umbrian specialities such as pasta with black truffles, as well as diet menus served with famous local wines..

Le Tre Vassale brings together wine, art and hospitality. This is because the hotel is the passion of one family – the Lungarottis, first and second generation winemakers who have made Torgiano their own.


Tre Vaselle entrance (pictured) - Torgiano an ancient Medieval hill town of small streets

As well as the hotel, there is a wine museum and olive oil, museum and the nearby Cantine Lunggarotti which produces the finest red wines grown on surrounding slopes (Sangiovese, Anaiolo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon), including Rubesco. The whites (Trebiano, Grechetto, Chardonnay, Pinot) are grown on cooler hillsides. And there is also an excellent sparkling Lungarotti Brut made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir - the traditional champagne grapes.

Giogrgio Lungarotti and his wife and Maria Grazia, an art historian run the winery business with daughters Chiara and Teresa and produce around three million bottles of wine annually.

The famous Rubesco wine

A visit to the Wine Museum and the Cantine are a must. Housed in the 17th century Palazzo Graziani-Baglioni, it has one of the most comprehensive collections of viticulture artifacts anywhere in the world – from its earliest stages in the Mediteranean to the Middle Ages and beyond – covering five thousand years of winemaking history. The theme of Bacchus runs through the collections which are housed in 20 rooms, featuring working tools, the history of wine in pleasure, fine prints, drawings, antiquarian books and graphics by Picasso and a glass by Jean Cocteau.

The hotel offers a range of activities including truffle hunting, cookery classes, as well as scooter hire.



Ancient grape press in the Wine Museum


An elborate ancient drinking flask


A glass by Jean Cocteau



The secret Palazzo of Torgiano - across from the hotel



The prized Italian truffle



Truffle dog Alice gets her reward


I have always wanted to go truffle hunting. And it was not a disappointment. No need to get up at the crack of dawn. After a lazy breakfast we are driven to a nearby forest to meet our guide Matteo and his English setter Asia.

The black truffles, known locally as “black gold” can fetch up to 150 Euros a kilo and the rarer white 3,000 Euros so the cost of buying your truffle dog – 4,000 euros in the case of Asia can pay dividends.

Asia was no disappointment. She was driven by a reward of a cheese slice each time she found a truffle. Sniffing the ground and as if by magic she would start digging with her paws, finding truffle after truffle. Standing on her back legs she put her front paws on Mateo’s hips to claim her reward.

As we walked in the woods we passed groups riding horses – this is also riding country. And back at the minibus we were greeted by table laden with a feast of antipasti and red wine – and it was only 10.30am! A bit early even for me but sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do! It would be rude not to.

FACT BOX

Hotel Le Tre Vaselle, via Garibaldi, 48. Torgiana – Perugia. T: + 39 075 9880447
www.3vaselle.it Email: 3vaselle@3vaselle.it
Double rooms from £194 ($297, €220), also look out for special packages and promotions on the website.

Cantine Giogio Lungarotti T: + 39 075 988661 www.lungarotti.it/information on wine tastings mailto:lungarotti.it
Wine and Olive and Oil MuseumsT: +39 075 9880200 mailto:museovno@lungarotti.it museoolio@lungarotti.it

Getting to Torgiano

Alitalia to Rome www.alitalia.com/Ryanair to Perugia www.ryanair.com/