I imagine that the whole of Jamaica must be celebrating at the successes of their athletes in the Olympics. This week Usain Bolt got gold and broke the world records in both the 100m and 200m, whilst the Jamaican women scooped up all top three places in the 100m race and Melanie Walker won the 400m hurdles. I’m sure the Jamaicans that have made it to Beijing stood very proudly as their National Anthem has been repeatedly played in the stadium.

As I surveyed the finalist line-ups for the men’s 100m I was really impressed by the representation of the Caribbean athletes in these events. Only the United States had places, with all the other athletes hailing from the Caribbean islands of Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and the Dutch Antilles. Locally, the success of Caribbean athletes is wryly explained by the saying “It’s the fastest that survives” with reference to the history of slavery and colonialism in the region. However for the present day their success is surely attributed to lots of hard work and training and I am certain that if further investment was made into supporting upcoming athletes from the smaller islands we would see much bigger Caribbean victories in future Olympics and indeed all sports events. Continue reading "Celebrating Caribbean Olympic Success!"

At the weekend I’m tempted to turn off the alarm and sleep in late but Saturday morning is an occasion to rise early, take out shopping bags and head to the market. And the earlier the better, as all the best of Dominica’s fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers are beautifully displayed over an array of tables and it’s the early birds that get the cream of the crop.

Even if I arrive to town somewhat sleepy, the Roseau market is a vibrant occasion that soon awakes all the senses. The hot sun beats down on the occasion and the market is alive with early morning bustle. Vendors call out to attract customers to their best offers and the sugarcane seller is busy pushing hard sticks of cane through the machine to yield bottles and cups of the sweet brown liquid that sell immediately. Coconuts are piled up on the back of pick-ups and are expertly cut open to awaiting consumers. Plantains and sweetcorn are roasting on coals and fill the air with a delicious fragrance. Along with the array of seasonal fruits an entire breakfast can be consumed walking from stall to stall. Continue reading "Eating, Meeting and Greeting at the Saturday Market"

Since my last post I’ve been steadily enjoying mangos and since it’s one of life’s pleasures that have numerous health benefits, I’m feeling great! The bright yellow/orange flesh of the mango signifies that nutritionally it is high in vitamins A and C – the great antioxidants that help the immune system and protect our cells from damage. Mangos are also a rich source of iron and are a positive source of this nutrient for those suffering with anemia.

Mangoes also score well in quantities of B1, B2, B3 and B6 and have good amounts of magnesium and calcium in them. The significant levels of potassium in mangoes make it an excellent choice to boost the body after a sports work out. With no saturated fat and lots of fibre, a mango really has to be at the top of the list in choices for a healthy diet.



Continue reading "Mango Mania - the Healthy and Delicious Fruit"