Being healthy this summer!!!

I like to take a holistic approach to health and this summer with all the partying and overindulgence you can still be healthy...

Mind & Spirit: There is a continuous communication between our brain and every cell in the body. Every thought and emotion registers in the body and affects our health. So look within yourself, using prayer or meditation and develop a spiritual view of life. Yes its a "dog eat dog" world out there but we are all God or Nature's creation and we are all beautiful and we all have a purpose here on earth. This is the truth and dont let man made negative stereotypes effect you in a negative way. Negativity manifests itself in the body and leads to illnesses and compromised health. Life is inherently stressful, but stressing does not take the worry out of tomorrow but it does take the strength out of today. So stay positive and dont ever let other peoples negativity get to you. You can become impenetrable to negativity while you yourself becoming a positivity generating machine.

Water: The human body is 60% water by weight and there is water in every cell in the body. Especially during summer months it is important to drink lots of fresh purified water. Dehydration is linked to allergies, aches, pains and illness so drink more water and not carbonated fizzy drinks!

Nutrition: You are what you eat. A healthy diet is essential, and eating healthily should become a lifestyle rather than a diet. Do you want to look and feel younger for longer? Want to be a 50 year old in the body of a 30 year old?

Then follow these tips:

No white flour products (no white bread, pastries, pasta)

Limited amounts of whole grains (brown rice and quinoa are best)

No sugar(sugar is a poison), use raw honey, xylitol or stevia

Unlimited amounts of legumes (beans, lentils, sprouts)

No hydrogenated fats (margarine and cookies)

No fried foods (stir fry is ok but use olive, avo or nut oils)

Unlimited vegetables (especially if fresh and lightly cooked)

Foods rich in Omega 3 (nuts, seeds and Salmon)

Limited low fat lean protein sources(fish, poultry, eggs, lean red meat)

Fruit(but not too much) and nuts(almonds, brazil and walnuts are best, avoid peanuts)

General Rules:

Whole foods are better than processed foods, if you have to eat bread or pasta, make it wholewheat with seeds etc.

Living things such as vegetables and sprouts are far far better than "dead things" such as canned foods. Try always eat organic as this soil has more life and thus the produce will be more alive!

Avoid colourants, flavourants, preservatives and artificial sweeteners.

Avoid sugar. We are in the midst of an epidemic of sugar addiction which is due in part to the high concentration of sugar in soft drinks(8 teaspoons in a can) and in packaged cookies and sweets. Sugar causes high levels of insulin which over time leads to diabetes, but it also increases cortisol production. Insulin and cortisol are 2 hormones that can dramatically speed up the ageing process. Sugar has a depressant effect on the immune system and causes oxidative stress by creating advanced glycosylated end products which accumulate in the skin(causing age spots) kidneys, arteries and brain. In other words sugar makes you old!

Exercise: Is a key factor in prevention of chronic illnesses and helps with brain function. A sedentary lifestyle leads to decrease quality of life and countless premature deaths each year, in other words fitness cuts your risk of dying. Heart disease, strokes,cancer and diabetes all fall dramatically in people who exercise regularly. Exercise also oxygenates body and brain promoting mental function and a feeling of well being, which reduces stress, depression and anxiety.

Detoxification: Chemicals are constantly being pumped into our environment every second. So its not a question of who needs it, as we all need it! The liver, kidneys and skin are there for detox but they cant keep up wth the massive load of toxins being pumped into our bodies. Follow the eating tips mentioned earlier and avoid smoking(also 2nd hand smoke) and air polluted areas. Every month for a period of 2-3 days just eat fresh vegetable juices and raw sprout salads. Just like a car needs an oil change, so the human body also needs to be cleaned out.

Sunshine: Vitamin D is vital to good health and good mood, so try and get at least 10 mins of sunshine everyday. No more than 30 min though(unless you are using sunscreen), as then the UV rays become detrimental to health.

Sleep: Quality sleep is essential as the body recharges and repairs while we sleep. The body's functions are governed by a 24hr circadian rythym. Not getting sufficient quality sleep puts these rythyms out of whack, leading to hormonal imbalances and health problems. I know in summer its nice to party everyday till late but this will accelerate the ageing process. So here is to "day" pool parties!

And here is to good health!

More to follow...;)

Mr South Africa 2010 Finalist announcement at FTV Silverstar

It was 6pm on a Saturday evening and all 12 finalists had congregated in the basement of FTV Silverstar. At 7:30pm we were due to be announced to the world as the 12 final candidates for Mr SA 2010. We all had to give introductory speeches as to what we do and who we are and nerves were on edge as we practiced our speeches. We all looked very suave in our tuxedos and our hair was done perfectly, thanks to Jessica Jewell. Last year's Mr SA Steven Segal was the emcee for the night and at 7:30 he started the show. After his introduction he started calling us out to give our speeches...the tension was high....


We all made our way upstairs but stayed hidden from the audience. I was 2nd from last and as my name was called i felt this rush of adrenaline as I made my way out in front of the packed audience. I took the mic from Steven and gave my speech, focusing on who I am and what I stand for. I commanded the area and I even had a heckler in the audience, but he was not going to get to me ;) A Mr SA has to have a confident commanding presence and I feel I achieved this as the crowd responded well to me during my speech.



After the speeches we went downstairs and got changed into our sponsored True Religion jeans and tee shirts. We came back upstairs and gave a little fashion show and then we gave the crowd what they wanted and we took our tops off;) This symbolises what Mr SA is all about, being serious and making a difference but having fun at the same time.




We had been introduced to the world and we could all relax now and it was time to let our hair down and party! But party responsibly, as a Mr SA should always be a pillar of integrity and good behaviour. Loui Fish from Glitterati interviewed me after the show and then it was time to mingle...I met one of South Africa's most beautiful woman, Lee Anne Liebenberg, and she is hotter in real life! Well what can I say, I am a man after all;)

After that all the finalists and the organizing committee shook up the dancefloor and we celebrated how far we had come. We also all got to meet Elsie from Ons Huis, what a sweet lady doing so much good for her community, she even partied with us! All the finalists had worked really hard to get here and I was proud of myself and the other 11 men. I want to say a big thanks to the guys for working so hard and making it a great competition so that we can push ourselves and do and be the best we can be. I also want to thank the Mr SA organizers for creating an amazing platform where men can push and develop themselves into people that reach their potential and make a difference and stand up and be counted.

Thank you for this amazing experience.

Weekend in Jozi

So it was the weekend of the Mr SA Finalist announcement...but I had other things planned also, and it was going to be a massive weekend...

I woke up at 5am on Friday morning and was at the airport by 6am as I had a 6:45 flight to Johannesburg. I was picked up from OR Tambo at 9am and taken to the Randburg sports complex where I was due to shoot the Heat Manwatch 2010 calendar. The shoot went very well and its going to be a hot calendar ;) I was then dropped off at the Fourways Virgin Active Gym in town where I was going to be training with Pieter and his trainer and Durban Mr SA finalist Murray Clark. The trainer put us through the ringer and I was sore in places the next day I didnt know existed.

It had been a long day, but that night Gareth Cliff had invited myself and Murray to FTV Cedar Square, so we decided to go check out the JoBurg night life...I almost regretted that decision as Gareth can be very persuasive and is a real party animal, but Murray and I pretended to go to the bathroom and made a dash for it! We had escaped and were home by 12.

Good thing, as we needed to be up at 7am as we had a big day ahead of us. We met at the Black Eagle Lodge, where we would be staying, and I met the 11 other finalists. We had breakfast and did some official Mr SA photographs. We then went through to the Silverstar casino where we had an all you can eat lunch, a 2 hour spa treatment and it was also the official finalist announcement at the Silverstar FTV.

The next day we woke up and went for a great spin class at Little Falls Virgin Active. After that it was off to Fournos Bakery for a great breakfast and pictures and mingling with the public. After that the Mr SA weekend was officially over...but I was not done yet. I had a shoot with avant garde photographer Louis Botha. The shoot went very well and Louis is a very good photographer.

All in all it was a great weekend. I had some great photographs done and met some awesome people. The Mr SA organising committee is a great buch of people and I am so happy to be working with them. The Black Eagle Guest Lodge where we stayed is so beautiful and I am definitely going to stay there again. And finally the other 11 finalists...all I can say is what a great bunch of guys, I definitely have some friends for life. It was a truly incredible weekend and an amazing piece of the Mr SA experience.

Pic top: Me with finalists Murray, Johan and Geoffrey

Pic 2nd from top: Me with last year Mr SA runner up and ultimate nice guy Jaco De Bruyn

Pic 3rd from top: Me with the gorgeous Tahlita and Jessica

Pic 2nd from bottom: Me with head of Mr SA, the enigmatic Susca Stemmet

Pic bottom:All the finalists, the top 12 most desirable men in SA!!! ;)

FTV Midnight Hot feat. The Locnville brothers

On the 10th of October FTV hosted their weekly Midnight Hot Fashion show and this week the Locnville brothers would be performing. They are 2 brothers from New York with this cool hip hop commercial fusion sound who have been getting a lot of air time on MTV and 5FM.

I was asked to be part of the show, but as I said I am hanging up my briefs for a while so then they asked me if I would emcee the show. I enjoy emcee'ing and its an integral part of any performance to be comfortable in front of a crowd. And especially to be a good Mr SA you have to be very comfortable in front of a crowd and u literally have to own the space and the crowd. You have to be commanding in your presence and tone.

And just like everything in life, practice makes perfect. I do have a natural presence but everything can always be worked upon and thus I take every public speaking or appearance opportunity with open arms. If I become the next Mr SA I want to be the best, most confident public speaker imaginable so that my message and what I and Mr SA stands for, comes across loud and clear.

Sanlam SA Fashion Week

Sanlam were hosting their SA Fashion Week, and this year the Cape Town leg was being held at the V&A Waterfront. I was lucky enough to have been invited by Sanalm...and they had given me front row seats ;)

The show was being held above the Future Exotics luxury vehicle showroom, so before the show started I decided to go downstairs and decide what car I wanted to get next...All men love cars and this guy(me) is no exception! Their were Rolls and Porsches but my eye was immediatley drawn to the Ferrari 340 and the Lamborghini Gallardo. I looked at them both, I feel a Ferrari should always be red so I liked that and Ferrari does have more of an allure but I preferred the sleeker lines of the Gallardo...So I decided to get them both. The Ferrari will be my day car, while the Lambo will be for night time use...And then I woke up from my daydream! ;)

On a serious note they are incredible works of human craftmanship and represent the apex of power and performance, but the carbon emissions from these "beasts" is just too high for me to be morally justified in driving one. Nature is being destroyed as we speak, I am not going to add to that. Also, the sheer amount of money these cars cost, I would not be able to drive one knowing I just dropped 2 mil on something, knowing just how many starving kids that amount of money would feed.


So after my dreams of owning an Italian supercar were dashed by moral objections, I decided to make my way upstairs...It was almost showtime! The room was packed with celebrities and fashionistas...oh I do say;) 5 designers were on show this night, and most of the stuff was quite quirky and avant garde but I respect and find the beauty in all fashion, as it is a display of someones creativity. And for me it is creativity that is the most beautiful human trait and I feel human creativity should never be dampened but enhanced and supported.

So my only critique is that I wish they had of used more creativity in the actual show production. 30 minutes into the show and a few people actually started walking out as the show was, to put it bluntly, quite boring. The models just came out and walked the runway one by one, and yes I understand the focus is the clothes and their designs, but I still feel there needs to be some entertainment value. But overall it was a good production and I have to thank Sanlam and co-sponsor Jameson for creating the platform for local talent to be showcased. SA has so much talent in all spheres and it needs to be showed off. So good job!

FTV Midnight Hot with Elana Afrika

So it was Saturday and that meant it was time for FTV Midnight Hot! This week it was a special 5FM party with Elana Afrika. So I couldnt miss it! Yes by now I am getting a little tired of prancing around in my underwear, as I feel Im getting a bit overexposed, literally and figuratively ;) So Im gonna be hanging up my...umm...underwear for a while! The money is quite good, but to be a legitimate Mr SA contender, i need to be taken seriously. So next time will only be for a big event or for a big underwear shoot.

The party was really cool, Elana is really vivacious and a real sweetheart and she knows how to get the crowed amped! The lingerie for this week was JT1's latest range called "Angel Wings". The girls looked really sexy and a good time was had by all!

Etihad Airline Launch

So it was a Thursday, the day after D-Day(day all submissions for Mr SA needed to be in by) and I felt like doing something...well fortunately I had been invited to the new Etihad flight launch announcement and cocktail party at The One and Only hotel in the Waterfront. Etihad will now be providing a flight between Cape Town and Abu Dhabi. This is very good for us, as to put it bluntly, people from that area put our reference of "being rich" literally to shame. Etihad has also been voted the best airline with the highset standard of service and this is the only way high rollers fly. So now we will basically have a lot more high rollers coming and they will be using their preferred method of transport;)

The event itself was great, free flowing alcohol, delicious snacks, corporate executives and other great guests. I was lucky enough to meet Jeannie Dee, she is such a sweetheart and we really hit it off(in a purely platonic manner), and Jo Anne Strauss. Jo Anne Strauss is an ex Miss SA and she was compere for the evening. I was thoroughly impressed with her compering skills, elegant, graceful, perfect pronunciation and still very humorous. And I thought she was a Miss SA and look at her now, that competition was the beginning of her shaping into this brilliant host.

And I drew a parallel with myself, not saying Im going to win like Jo-Anne did, but I do have a degree and many life experiences which have shaped me thus far, but this competition feels like it has significantly shaped me thus far and it still has a lot of shaping to do! Never be afraid to grow in a positive manner and there is always so much to learn...Be the best you can!!!