In keeping with its “Way Better®” promise and in line with the R260: Agricultural Product Standards Act passed by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Clover has implemented a change to the fat content of its low fat milk variant. A recent Government bill, which came into effect on March 28, 2016, dictated that going forward low fat milk should contain between 0.5% and 1.5% butterfat (cream) and accordingly, milk with between 1.6% and 3.3% will fall into a new medium fat category.

As a result, and by law, Clover was faced with the option of either reducing the milk fat in its 2% low fat option, or re-categorising it as medium fat milk. After careful consideration and in consultation with consumers, the leading dairy producer has chosen to reduce the fat content to 1.5%, thereby maintaining its low fat status and minimising confusion for the health-conscious shopper. ​

Clover Cares

“As a favourite household brand, we make a point of meeting the specific needs of our consumers. For this reason, we conducted research with a range of individuals to ensure that the new categorisation of our milk variants will not compromise the high quality and premium taste associated with Clover dairy products.”

“After listening to what our consumers had to say, and based on their feedback, the decision was taken to retain the red ‘low fat’ label and descriptor and lower the fat formulation to 1.5%, which going forward will be in keeping with government legislation and in line with many overseas standards,” explains Clover’s Marketing Manager of Dairy, Sherian King.

Less Calories. Same Quality

The delicious taste of Clover’s milk is no doubt part of what positions Clover as one of the leading dairy producers in the world. The good news is that after conducting blind tasting with consumers, the vast majority of tasters did not taste a difference in the reduced fat milk. It’s also important to note, Clover’s full cream and fat free milk products will remain the same tasty variants as before.

Milk is often seen as a complete food due to its intrinsic properties and nutritional value. And while many consumers are unsure of the percentage of fat in full cream milk, the truth of the matter is that the fat content, in accordance with government legislation, for full cream milk is standardised by most dairies in accordance to legislation to 3.3%. “Indeed, our consumers with a preference for our low fat option or other alternatives, can rest assured that they can continue to purchase the milk they have come to know and love, without fear of compromise in Clover’s quality,” concludes Product Development Manager, Piet Laubsher.

From Farm to Table

Clover’s brand promise of “Way Better” remains firmly in place despite the adjustment to its low fat variant. Clover’s fresh milk undergoes 55 quality tests and is kept cold throughout distribution to ensure freshness. It is also sourced from specially selected farms.

“All milk is pasteurised by heating the milk in order to make it safe for human consumption. After it is pasteurised, we then use a process called bactofugation, which spins the milk so that additional bacteria can be separated and removed. While pasteurisation kills all the bacteria that can make one sick, bactofugation removes the bacteria that is safe to consume but will cause the milk to spoil. Not all companies do this, but we have invested in technology to provide consumers with better quality milk and a longer shelf life, which has now been extended from 12 to 18 days,” explains group manager for product innovation and technology, Anton Pretorius.

“As with all Clover milk products homogenisation takes place to prevent the separation of milk and fat (or cream), which creates an unwanted layer on top of milk. This is when the fat particles are broken down very finely. The milk is pumped through a tiny hole, which puts it under pressure of 250-bar. We do this so that no oily layer occurs on the top of tea or coffee, and consumers can enjoy a consistent taste throughout the use of their milk. The last thing we want is for milk to be full cream at breakfast and fat free at dinner!”

“Lastly, we fill our milk in what is called a ‘clean fill environment’. This is done so that the milk does not come into contact with airborne bacteria, because milk exposed to air spoils faster than milk kept in a clean environment. The combination of all these processes has enabled us to give the consumer the benefit of a longer shelf life.” adds Pretorius.

While it’s important to note that the requirement for reduced fat content in milk also applies to the rest of the dairy category, it is also good to know that discerning consumers can continue to enjoy the same great taste and quality that is so much a part of what we love about Clover.

A small group of excited Cape Town based massage therapists recently attended a 2 day intensive Dynamic Cupping Therapy Massage Workshop held at the Sport Science Institute in Newlands. The workshop was conducted by USA Massage Hall of Fame inductee, Anita Shannon, often, endearingly referred to as the"MotherCupper" by thousands of students whom have had the privilege to work with and study her contemporary methods of a nearly 3000 year old alternative medicine tradition, cupping therapy, still prolific throughout the Middle East and Asia.

Anita Shannon is the recently appointed Director of Advanced Education and Training for MIRA Dynamics International, Director of Advanced Continuing Education (ACE), an NCBTMB Continuing Education provider established in 2001, she has presented countless workshops on ACE Massage Cupping™ and MediCupping™ at international locations since developing these brands of bodywork in 2002. Anita has published six articles on this subject in Massage Today, Massage Magazine and Les Nouvelles Esthetiques, along with publishing five educational videos, and is currently writing a book on VacuTherapies™.

With her vast knowledge and experience and her first visit to South Africa, Anita added much needed professional perspectives and years of accumulated wisdom to professionals in the sport, physio, massage therapy, alternative medicine, Chinese medicine and natural beauty industries. Anita said, "I am duly impressed by the professional caliber of the South Africans who attended and look forward to returning later this year. I understand that cupping therapy is relatively new here and I love teaching this wonderful, and quite frankly, necessary healing massage technique that would compliment any therapists practice."

"Dynamic Cupping Therapy is a holistic healing method based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, developed and researched by Anita along with MIRA Dynamics International and offers a natural alternative for relief, cure and solution to every day health and beauty problems." said Derrick Z. Venter, CEO of MIRA. "Essentially, I am hoping to see this exciting practice instituted by practitioners in the sport therapy, massage therapy, physio and health and beauty industries in SA.

"MDI is continuously developing, researching and disseminating best practices, new discoveries and educational materials and we are keen to collaborate with professionals and doctors respectively, we aim to have Dynamic Cupping Therapy accepted as an accredited educational program here in South Africa." Mr. Venter added.

"We would love to have a South African based Educator/Trainer on the MIRA team. He or she would receive extensive training from Anita and we invite interested and qualified people to contact us via our website or Facebook page". said Derrick Z. Venter.

MIRA SA is the distributor of MIRA Dynamics Professional Cupping Therapy Tools and complimentary products in South Africa and welcome inquiries from interested retail and wholesale partners. 

NOTES FOR EDITOR
Anita is available for telephonic interviews and appearances.
Derrick is available for interviews and appearances.
Both can be contacted via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 021 433 1759

23, January 2015 –Dreadlock Removal Process Now Made Easy with the Take Down® Remover 

The Take Down® Removers is the #1 Best Braid, Weave, Extension and Dreadlock Remover. This is a dry hair detangler which works fast in softening the hair.

The cream prevents any type of breakage during the process of detangling. It offers wonderful results on hair that has not been combed or brushed for a long period. Hair that has become extremely dry and matted can now be softened with the help of this excellent cream. The gentle cream penetrates through the hair and softens each and every strand as and when it is being combed.

Imagine the amount of time and effort it would take to remove the knots and clumps out of that matted and tangled hair. Take Down® Remover is definitely a great relief from pain as well as a feasible solution that offers excellent results.

The cream should be used directly on the matted hair before shampooing. Shampooing the matted hair would lead to more stubborn knots and clumps. It would also create masses of tangled matted hair. All that the users need here is this Detangler Cream, a wide tooth comb, a rat tail comb and of course lots of patience.

Users have to massage and soak the hair with the cream without wetting the hair. The knots, balls or clumps can be picked using the rat tail comb. The strands of hair can be slowly pulled out using the pin tip of the comb. If the hair to too tangled, users may wish to use extra cream – the more the better. This would weaken the matted knots and clumps.

The hair can be shampooed once it is completely detangled. A wide tooth comb can be used to remove all the knots and mats now. The hair can be conditioned with an excellent conditioner at the end.

Even the worst dreadlocks, twists, hair extensions and dread extensions can be detangled easily with the help of this dreadlock remover. Hair restoration is now easy and simple with this excellent product. It is time to say no to painful processes and those time taking sessions to detangle the extremely impossible tangled hair.   

To know more about this dreadlock remover visit www.hairdetanglerschoolsa.com

Contact Details

Nomsa Beauty Ltd, Johannesburg. 
Tel:(+27) 0791275325
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

How can Hospitals protect themselves against the spread of Ebola?

With over 4,900 deaths from Ebola since it's outbreak, it's not a surprise that Western Cape hospitals are preparing should a case be found in South Africa. Particle Science has worked with a number of hospitals in The Western Cape and Gauteng region to make sure that their environment are controlled and up to standard.

6 days ago Eye Witness News covered the announcement by Tygerberg Hospital that they have "all systems in place should Ebola hit South Africa." Tygerberg Hospital has specialist equipment and isolation wards, also known as infectious disease wards, which will be used if any Ebola cases are detected in South Africa. While there are no cases of the deadly virus in the country, authorities aren't taking any chances and have put in place a plan. The hospital's storage room is filled with plastic protective gear like safety goggles, gloves and gumboots. All this will be needed to protect health workers if there is an Ebola outbreak. Isolation boxes to treat patients that need to be transported and special body bags are also on hand.

It is important, however, for all hospitals to have the correct safety equipment and protective gear should there be a need for cases to be treated. The key to the effectiveness of BSL-4 personal protective equipment (PPE) comes down to two things: One is the impenetrability of the material of which the suit is constructed. They’re very tough, heavy flexible polymers that one would have to work very hard to puncture or cut. Two is the High-efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter; forced-air, powered units which provide filtered air to the individual in the suit. There is no chance for the intrusion of ambient air. A decent HEPA filter in good repair will filter out viruses. Many BSL-4 suits used in laboratory applications actually have hoses that provide dedicated airflow from outside the work area, forcing the worker to remain tethered to their air supply.

"It is imperative that these filters be tested and are in good working order" 

"It is imperative that these filters be tested and are in good working order" says Eric Lundberg, founder and CEO of Particle Science (Pty) Ltd. HEPA filters are critical in the prevention of the spread of airborne bacterial and viral organisms and, therefore, infection. Typically, medical-use HEPA filtration systems also incorporate high-energy ultra-violet light units to kill off the live bacteria and viruses trapped by the filter media. Testing of the quality of the air inside theatres needs to be done at least every 6 months to make sure the Filters are working correctly and air inside and outside the wards and theatres are clean and up to standard.

 More more information visit www.particlescience.co.za

With most South African medical aids no longer providing coverage for cosmetic dental surgery and treatment, and bank loans being difficult and time-consuming to obtain, a new specialized financing solution that considers the consumer has emerged in response to these adverse conditions in the healthcare market.  

Access to dental cosmetic surgery for health imperatives or aesthetic reasons is often unattainable due to lack of cover from South African medical aids. According to Dr JJ Serfontein – a leading Cape Town cosmetic dentist practitioner – this prevents the broader South African public from securing healthcare. However, there is a solution. He recommends MediFin to his patients, because it offers a financing solution that provides clients with easy payment terms and conditions.

Dr Serfontein opened his practice in Cape Town with the vision of providing world-class dental care. Through his dynamic involvement in the greater industry itself, as well as through the operations of his own very busy practice, he has noticed certain worrying patterns in the payment of dental treatments that are affecting South Africans at large. Medical aids' non-financing of cosmetic dental surgery means that clients either delay care or are unable to seek or proceed with dental treatment at all.  

Another pressing concern, he says, is: “to avoid a situation where patients believe that they can't afford the ideal treatment required and instead settle for a compromise treatment plan. Generally, the only reason people settle for cheaper materials and therefore less durability is because of finance. It is very sad when people start to compromise their own health because of money and due to a lack of funds.” Frustratingly, when trying to offer his clients the very best services (an ethos that has seen Dr Serfontein create a very successful practice supported by repeat clients), he has been stymied by the traditional payment strategies optioned to his clients by banks and medical aids. Personal loan applications via banks are often arduous and unsuccessful, and medical aid payouts for certain procedures have become extremely limited.'

In response to this adverse trend in the healthcare market, the hassle-free solution known as MediFin was born. Prospective healthcare clients can now speedily access the best cosmetic dental treatment through MediFin’s easy online application that submits a response within an hour of inquiry.

But MediFin has other advantages too. Dr Serfontein says that MediFin's financing solution is cheaper than a credit card for both him and his clients. He is thus able to reduce his operating costs, while providing his clients with a more cost-effective solution to the conventional bank loan system.

In addition, MediFin's approach does away with collateral and down payments and loans are not subject to early settlement penalties or exorbitant interest rates. As specialist loan providers, MediFin's financing solutions focus on niche sectors, with a thorough understanding of each market - in this case, the dental industry. This means that MediFin’s financial solutions are tailored to the needs of the consumer.

Impressively, payment terms are variable allowing for terms that suit both the patient and practitioner. Therefore, according to Dr Serfontiein, MediFin cleverly allows access to health benefits while providing easy payment and loan options.

For a practitioner like Dr Serfontein – committed to specialised oral and dental care – MediFin presents a unique solution to the crisis of accessing quality healthcare within the South African medical landscape. That’s why he happily offers the MediFin solution to all his patients. MediFin and its inclusion in practices like Dr Serfontein's, is part of a broader project to increase the number of people who can exercise their right to have world-class care. These exciting developments require the vision of practitioners like Dr Serfontein and the business savvy of MediFin to bring them to life. More importantly MediFin is being increasingly supported by grateful and satisfied patients, who make use of this valuable service. Now that’s really cause for a winning smile!

For more information about MediFin contact 0861 000 808, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.medifin.co.za/

[ENDS]

ABOUT MEDIFIN: The majority of South Africans cannot afford to pay for any medical or dental procedure. Even those fortunate few that can afford full comprehensive medical aid cannot claim from their medical aid funds for a large variety of procedures, which are excluded. MediFin´s sole purpose is to assist normal South Africans to proceed with their desired, if not critical, medical procedures sooner rather than later. MediFin was launched in the middle of 2012 in the Western Cape and quickly reached over 1500 medical and dental practices, with over 800 practices being serviced on a regular basis. During the first three months of 2013 the company expanded to Gauteng and Kwazulu-Natal and quickly reached an additional 2000 practices.   ISSUED BY: Lauren Shantall (Pty) Ltd This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 084 79 11 11 1    

How to Survive a Heart attack - Step 1: Just Breathe!

How to Have a Heart AttackStep 1: Just Breathe!

by Hendrik Baird

Having a heart attack is no joke. Ask me. I've just had one.

Not a light heart attack, not a heart murmur, but a full on, massive Myocardial Infarction.

The type of heart attack where you start saying goodbye to the people around you, because you realise that you are about to die. The kind where you can't breathe, where your chest is about to explode, where your reality suddenly spins out of control.

We all have to die at some point. We both accept and ignore this inevitable fact. We all know that everybody will die; we just conveniently forget to remember that this will happen to me, too.So what do you do when you suddenly find yourself in a "this is it" situation? How do you react?

I felt both determined to stay alive and at the same time resigned to the fact that I was, in fact, in the process of dying. I had the clarity of mind to have my son, who was with me at the time, call a friend of mine for help. I wanted to stay alive!

Yet as the minutes ticked by and I could no longer breathe, during those long agonising moments when there was no more breath, I had to make peace with my own mortality, and quickly too! Even though we were speeding through traffic to get to the hospital, I resigned myself to the fact that I would not make it. This was the end.At the same time remembering something I read on Facebook once, about coughing when you are having a heart attack, as it stimulates the heart muscle to contract and helps with breathing. (Easier said on Facebook than actually done in the throes of a full-scale cardiac episode! Yet I think this saved my life, because after doing it a few times the tension eased up a little as we approached the hospital and I could breathe again.)

It literally was a delicate balancing act between life and death. For that one crisis-filled hour I tottered from one to the other. In the end it was time that saved me. I will forever be thankful to my dear friend who rushed through afternoon traffic to the hospital. If it had taken any longer to reach help, the damage might have been much more severe and indeed could have led to my early expiry due to lack of oxygen.So here is the first lesson in surviving a heart attack: Just breathe! (Even if it means coughing to keep the breath going!)

I have been asked if I view my own mortality differently now because of what happened. Strangely I don't think the severity of what has happened has fully made itself known yet, it being revealed slowly, incrementally, through small daily realisations.I have been told it will take at least a year for it to fully sink in.

So how does one survive such an event and its consequences? Are there ways to ease some aspects of surgery and manage the pain? Can you speed up the healing process? How do you survive the tedium of waiting at a state hospital? And how do you survive the food?

As a way to deal with what has happened, and at the same time as an insight to someone else who might have had a similar experience, or perhaps even for someone who sometime in the future might need this information: There is to follow a few weekly articles about various aspects of surviving a heart attack.I will share the techniques I used from time to time to deal with various issues, for instance in dealing with daily injections or to manage post-operative pain and infection. I will share my own thoughts and feelings and the insights of those who supported me and carried me through these past few months.

At various times during the weeks that I spent in hospital, several of my friends commented that they knew somebody who had gone through the same thing as I and that they were doing so well after successful surgery similar to mine. This reassured me. I have a similar intention in writing this. To reassure you that everything will be all right. I have been there. I have survived, for now. Use what you can from my experience.

A heart attack changes your life. As a survivor you have to face the consequences. You have to make changes. I am facing the consequences head-on, taking it one day at a time. For the moment, I am here, in this moment.

Soon we will all die. Me too. But for the moment I will just breathe. While I breathe, I am still alive.

So just breathe!

© www.hypnosis-works.co.za 25/05/2014

{pp}In breaking news today, the PM Academy (www.pmacademy.co.za) announced all future PRINCE2 training courses will be presented based on the PRINCE2:2009 refresh version.

The 2009 refresh version was launched by the APMG on the 16 June 2009.

PM Academy also offers a conversion course from the 2005 version to the new 2009 version.

We invite all PRINCE2 students to visit our website and register with us to attend the exiting new project management courses. Alternatively, contact us on + 27 (011) 976 2776 to discuss your unique training requirements.

{pp}Influenza, or flu as it is more commonly known, is a highly contagious, respiratory infectious disease.  Even though the general public has become rather blasé about colds and flu, as viral infections they both pose real health threats that can, in the worst case scenario, result in death.