We first walked around the beautiful Shakespeare garden. Where some of the plants are mentioned in the writer’s plays. As a lover of literature, it was a treat to see that each plant is labeled with the quote referring to it in the play.

We enjoyed a guided tour through the rose garden, where they have over 1000 roses. The scent as you walk through the garden is absolutely captivating!
The herb garden was delightfully interesting. It had many medicinal plants and cooking herbs. Some of the plants, we were told, were used by early travelers as cures for diseases and injuries and by sangomas.

We then enjoyed a light picnic on one of the well taken care of fields.

I recommend a walk through the gardens to anybody who would like to get away from the noise of the city.

• 1 can pineapple chunks
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – julienned
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 medium green pepper
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 6 cups torn fresh spinach
• 1 cup cherry tomato halves

Drain pineapple, reserving 3 tablespoons juice in a small bowl; set pineapple aside. (Discard remaining juice or save for another use.) In a skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken in oil for 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Add green pepper; stir-fry for 2-4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, add brown sugar and cornstarch to pineapple juice; mix well. Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar and soy sauce until smooth; add to skillet and cook until thickened. On a large serving platter, arrange spinach, pineapple and tomatoes. Top with chicken and green pepper; serve immediately.

The great thing about the site is that anyone can sign up for free and create a private or public fitness profile. Once users have their own profile, they can enjoy a wide range of features to help them with their training program. These features include the ability to upload pictures of yourself throughout your training process so that you can see your progress, keep a record of your measurements and start your own training journal.

The Body Design website also connects you with other like-minded individuals within the community. Through The Body Design community, you can find a gym partner based on location, discuss a wide range of issues in the Body Design forum, read articles from other health and fitness fanatics or take advantage of the “Ask a Trainer” feature to get your questions answered by a professional.

The site also has a directory of personal trainers, private gyms and dieticians from around the country so that you can find the right professional help when you need it.

In future The Body Design website will allow you to keep a record of your workout and nutritional stats, personalize your routine and diet with automatic calculations and graphs, provide supplement reviews and open a online store for all of your workout needs.

But why wait?

Head over to http://www.thebodydesign.com right now and take your workout to the next level!

Diet
Focus on what you eat and when you eat it. It is important that you keep your portions modest, but do not by any means starve yourself. Here are some essential food types:
• Fruits and veggies
• Meats, fish and other sources of protein
• Unsaturated fats
• Whole grains

Exercise
Exercising at least 5 times a week will have you feeling more energetic and geared up for the race.
• Start by running a fifth of the distance of the race, then gradually build up to the full distance
• Do breathing exercises and make sure that you are able to regulate your breathing when running.
• Do not strain your body because this may cause injuries.

Extra tips
• Drink less alcohol
• Get enough sleep, especially the night before the race
• Reduce stress and allow your body and mind to get rest
• Be committed to your goal!!

The Caversham Mill is an establishment that is steeped in history. The Mill was originally built by the Hodson brothers between 1852 and 1853. Today the Caversham Mill Estate comprises of the Caversham Mill Restaurant, Manor House and Country Cottages, situated in a peaceful country setting overlooking the Lions and Impafana Rivers.

During your visit, you can explore the enormous gardens located on the property by taking a variety of pathways that lead to the water’s edge. From here you can fish, swim, tube along the river, or simply sit down, dip your feet in the water and enjoy nature at its best.

It goes without saying that the food is delicious and freshly prepared. And the great thing about the Carsham Mill is that you’ll be able to enjoy your meal from a large deck that overlooks the river that flows past the Mill. And if you are quick enough, you might even spot trout jumping out the water and up a small waterfall while you eat…

The Caversham Mill Restaurant is roughly 15 minutes from Howick, 30 minutes from Pietermaritzburg, and only 10 minutes off the N3. To get more information about the Caversham Mill, visit their website at www.cavershammill.co.za

The Caversham Mill is an establishment that is steeped in history. The Mill was originally built by the Hodson brothers between 1852 and 1853. Today the Caversham Mill Estate comprises of the Caversham Mill Restaurant, Manor House and Country Cottages, situated in a peaceful country setting overlooking the Lions and Impafana Rivers.

During your visit, you can explore the enormous gardens located on the property by taking a variety of pathways that lead to the water’s edge. From here you can fish, swim, tube along the river, or simply sit down, dip your feet in the water and enjoy nature at its best.

It goes without saying that the food is delicious and freshly prepared. And the great thing about the Carsham Mill is that you’ll be able to enjoy your meal from a large deck that overlooks the river that flows past the Mill. And if you are quick enough, you might even spot the numerous trout that jump out the water and up a small waterfall while you eat…

The Caversham Mill Restaurant is roughly 15 minutes from Howick, 30 minutes from Pietermaritzburg, and only 10 minutes off the N3. To get more information about the Caversham Mill, visit their website at www.cavershammill.co.za

Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup thawed frozen raspberries
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 scoops of nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt
• 1/2 mango, diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped toasted nuts

Preparation
1. Puree raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a blender. Serve over scoops of nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt with mango and nuts.

Nutrition
Per serving: 167 calories; 2 g fat (0 g sat, 2 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 41 mg sodium; 210 mg potassium.
2 Carbohydrate Serving

This dish should be served with a few condiments. Serve the various components of the dish separately and let your guests build their own wraps to taste.

Ingredients
• 1 pound flank steak
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup diced peeled cucumber
• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 head Bibb lettuce, leaves separated

Preparation
1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
2. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Oil the grill rack. Grill the steak for 6 to 8 minutes per side for medium. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices.
3. Combine the sliced steak, cucumber, tomatoes, shallot, mint, basil and cilantro in a large bowl. Mix sugar, soy sauce, lime juice and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle over the steak mixture; toss well to coat. To serve, spoon a portion of the steak mixture into a lettuce leaf and roll into a “wrap.”

Not exercising at all can cause premature death, chronic disease and disability. Do your best to avoid all of this. Here are some simple and easy activities that you can do on a daily basis.

Take a walk once a day. Whether it’s to the shop to buy bread or walking instead of driving to lunch.

· Take the stairs instead of the lift. This doesn’t mean you must exhaust yourself walking up 20 flights of stairs, just pace yourself. Maybe you could walk up the stairs to the elevator on the 4th floor, then catch the lift for the rest of the way. But keep increasing the amount of stairs every week or so.

· Run around and play outside with the kids. If you don’t have any of your own, offer to babysit. Children are full of energy and they love to play active games. A great idea is going to a park.

· Spend less time in front of the T.V and computer. It will encourage you to go out and do something active.

· Find out about any walking, hiking or cycling spots around your area. Every Sunday you could go out for a hike or cycle.

One of her staple ingredients was fresh garlic cloves. Initially I was a bit apprehensive as garlic generally gets a bad rap, but it just so happens that it is one of the best things you can eat! You can cook it in a variety of ways and when done correctly, you don’t walk around honking like old cheese in a shoe…

Garlic is an natural anti-biotic, lowers blood pressure, inhibits the per-oxidation of lipids, reduces the risk of cancer, lowers levels of blood sugar and lowers cholesterol.

Plus it can even save you from vampires…

So if you’re going to be cooking, whether you’re making a salad or a meat dish, why not add a bit of garlic? It’s one of nature’s most healthiest foods.

Just don’t over do it. Too much garlic is a delicate line that you really don’t want to cross…