Meet the yoga teacher who loves having a good stretch... with her HORSE

By Mary Isokariari

The 'Bow': Linda Guanti enjoys a yoga session with Lewis, a 17-year-old Egyptian Arabian horse

A veteran horse is still competing in old age after beating stiffness in his joints - by doing YOGA.

Super-fit Lewis, a 17-year-old Egyptian Arabian, mastered a string of yoga moves after copying his owner Linda Guanti, 35.

Linda was mucking out when she began practising her own stretches to help her bad back - and was stunned to see Lewis mimicking her.


She spent several hours a day showing Lewis how to adopt the complex poses and he can now hold positions such as the 'bow' and the 'neck side stretch'.

Lewis has even mastered an awkward pose where he kneels forward to push his nose into the ground and stretch his back while Linda stands beside him and reaches to the sky.

Their joint yoga sessions have cured Linda's lifelong back pain and eased Lewis' stiff joints so much that he can carry on competing.

X-ray technologist Linda, from British Columbia, Canada, said: 'Lewis is a great horse. I've had him since he was five-and-a-half and he loves to try anything that's fun.

'I was amazed when he began to do yoga. He really adores the stretches and it's great that we can both combine our hobby and spend time together.

'Neck Side Stretch' position: Lewis has beaten stiffness in his joints becoming a real poser after learning how to do yoga stretches


'Doing yoga with your horse is a wonderful way to make a connection with them.'

'Lewis has learned how to remain calm in vulnerable positions that would frighten most horses.'

'Plus, he's a fairly athletic horse who jumps and does dressage so there stretches help to keep him fit.' Linda turned to yoga after she fractured three vertebrae in her back falling from a horse when she was 14.

The injury was never fixed and gave her chronic health problems throughout her adult life that meant she was unable to ride properly.

Back improvement: Practising her own stretches with Lewis has helped Linda's back


Several years ago she then suffered three prolapsed discs.

But when Linda discovered yoga in 2007 she noticed a dramatic improvement in her health.

She began doing her stretches while she groomed Lewis in a bid to save time and be around her pet more often.

But to her amazement Lewis soon joined in. In one manoeuvre, Lewis kneels forward and pushes his head into the ground in a stretch that would cause most horses to spook.

The pose, named the 'Bow', stretches Lewis' shoulder forward while his other front leg is tucked behind to stretch the shoulder. The neck, back, and hind legs are also stretched.

Another pose involves Linda standing at the horse's rear and arching her back in a 'Neck Side Stretch' pose. The horse cranes his neck round to the side which helps with flexibility, range of motion and suppleness throughout the neck and also the back.


The yoga expert: Lewis has mastered a string of yoga moves after copying his owner Linda Guanti, 35


Lewis would normally have become stiff as he grew older but the stretches have kept his joints supple and he's able to continue competing in dressage, show jumping and cross county competitions.

Linda said that doing yoga with Lewis has helped to heal her bad back - and even helped with his stamina.

She has become a part-time yoga instructor and now runs classes that people can bring their horses too.

She added: 'There is nothing I can do about my weakened discs and damaged bones but the benefits of doing yoga with Lewis were unmistakable.'

'Yoga with him has helped with the initial healing process and was keeping my body in the healthiest state is could be. All the past limitations and pain from my injury were lessening.'

'I was overjoyed. My riding skills improved, my body awareness and balance improved. My outlook on life improved.'

'Yoga is also just as beneficial for horses as for humans. Horses have the same issues as we do. Stretching and body awareness reduces injury and enhances performance and pleasure in activity.'


source:dailymail

Kate's royal wedding dress set to make £8m as record numbers flock to Buckingham Palace

By Sadie Whitelocks

Fit for a Duchess: Kate Middleton's stunning wedding gown has attracted a record number of visitors to Buckingham Palace this summer

Record number of visitors have flocked to Buckingham Palace this summer as a result of Kate's stunning £250,000 Royal Wedding gown going on display.

Over 354,000 people have walked through the palace doors since the special exhibition - featuring the Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen dress - opened on July 23 and it is expected final ticket sales will total £8million.

With entry up a remarkable 20 per cent up from last year, proceeds will be put towards William and Kate's wedding charity fund - which already tops £1million.


Profits will also help with the maintenance and restoration of the Royal Collection which includes the palaces, residences and extensive art collections.

The Collection has seen profits surpass previous years, with tickets sales across its venues and sales of commemorative souvenirs boosting income from £7.3million to £41.7million in the year to April.

A spokesperson for the Royal Collection said: 'This year has been our highest to date. The wedding dress has proved very popular.'

The Queen and Kate at a private view of the exhibition at Buckingham Palace before the official opening in July


Adults have been paying £17.50 - and children under 17, £10 - to get a close-up view of Kate's intricate silk gown exhibited alongside a selection from the Royal Faberge collection.

Other items displayed include the magnificent 1936 Cartier 'Halo' tiara sporting 1,000 diamonds, lent by The Queen to Kate on her wedding day, the wedding shoes, also hand-made by the team at Alexander McQueen and the diamond earrings specially commissioned by Kate's parents, featuring the new Middleton family crest.

A total of 413,000 people visited Buckingham Palace last summer, only surpassed by the 420,000 in 1994.

The palace was first opened to the public in 1993, to help pay for the £40 million restoration costs of Windsor Castle, damaged by fire the previous year.

It was agreed the venue would only be opened during the summer months when The Queen is at her Scottish residence, Balmoral.

A spokesperson added that visitor numbers at Windsor and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh were also 'very good.'

Buckingham Palace and the Royal Wedding Dress exhibition will close to the public on October 3 when final figures will be revealed.



source:dailymail

Creative juices are flowing: The incredible carvings painstakingly crafted from fruit and vegetables

By CHRIS SLACK


Spectacular: Russian vegetable carver Vadim Nefedjev applies the finishing touches to his eagle work during the first ever European carving competition

With steady hand and painstaking concentration, this artist applies the finish touches to his latest spectacular work.

But this sculpture of an eagle is created using a medium many conventional artists may not have considered - fruit and vegetables.

Using a mixture of fruits, the bird was created by Russian vegetable carver Vadim Nefedjev during yesterday's round of competition at the first ever European carving competition in Leipzig in eastern Germany.


The eagle has landed: Nefedjev places the bird on display for judging in the individual competition. He was battling 26 others at the event held in Leipzig, Germany


The competition, which has 26 individual competitors and 11 teams, is part of the 'Gaeste' Trade Fair in the city - which caters for the restaurant, hotel and catering business.

His eagle creation was in competition with carvers from nine different countries.

They included Czech chef Radek Vach, who created a staggering depiction of a Viking's head using only a pumpkin.

Another entrant was Winifried Karras who represented Germany, but chose to centre his piece around a carving of an Asian beauty on a melon.


Staggering: This detailed carving of a Viking's head was created on a pumpkin by Czech Radek Vach, who gets to work on another design in the background


This aubergine penguin, complete with carrot glasses was one entrant, while German carver Winifried Karras chose to centre his piece around a carving of an Asian beauty on a melon


This pair of frogs were created using cucumbers, with their tongues and eyes made from small pieces of carrot


Most fruit and vegetables were used at some point, with one entrant choosing to create a pair of frogs using nothing but a cucumber and strategically place pieces of carrot.

And another saw a penguin crafted from an aubergine, with the designer even crafting a pair of glasses from a carrot.

The pictures here come from the two days of individual competition.

Saturday's entrants had to create two pieces to be used for two cocktails and a plate of vegetables measuring around 30cm in diameter.


Intricate: A woman carves a flower design onto a mango as part of her entry in the competition


And yesterday saw competitors asked to make a show piece to go before the judges.
Within a four hour time limit they had to make the piece using a selection of melons, papayas, cabbages, cucumbers, radish and carrots and pumpkins.

Tomorrow's competition involves teams of three again being given four hours to create a blend of fruit and vegetable carvings of specific locations.

The European competition was founded by China's Xiang Wang, who has been crowned World Champion on two occasions.

source: dailymail

Black England soccer stars suffer Nazi salutes and vile monkey noises from racist Bulgarian fans

By Daily Mail Reporter



Vile: One Bulgarian supporter gives a Nazi salute during the game against England in Sofia



Football Association chiefs have made an official complaint after black England soccer players were subjected to vile racist abuse from Bulgarian fans.



Manchester United's Ashley Young and Arsenal's Theo Walcott were taunted with monkey noises and Nazi salutes during England's victory in Sofia last night.



The chants could be heard when Young was substituted and Walcott was targeted when he missed a chance late in the Euro qualifier.





Hateful message: Bulgarian fans unfurl an abusive banner as a supporter gives a Nazi salute





FA officials reported the behaviour to the UEFA match delegate after the game which saw home supporters unfurl a banner which said 'F*** UEFA.



England's two-goal match winner Wayne Rooney slammed the Bulgarian fans' behaviour.



He said: 'We could hear it on the pitch. It has been going on for years.and it's not right.





Fiery salute : Bulgarian soccer supporters light up a flare in Sofia





'It needs to stop and hopefully something will be done about it.'



Walcott told Mail Sport: 'It was very clear. I ignored it. I think the FA will deal with that and I don't want to comment too much. The result was the important thing.'





Abused: England's Ashley Young in action last night in Sofia against Bulgaria





England captain John Terry had not heard the abuse during the game, but told Sky TV: 'You don't expect that at all. It was a great spectacle for everyone to watch let's not let that spoil it.'



Like Terry before him, he admitted to being 'not very informed' about what had occurred, having been focused on the match.



But he added: 'It is very pitiful for such things to happen. Because of that I would like to apologise on behalf of the Bulgarian Football Federation.'





Bulgaria boss Lothar Matthaus, a former German World Cup winner, apologised for the conduct of the minority of his team's fans.





England have encountered racism problems on their travels before. Seven years ago Shaun Wright-Phillips and Ashley Cole were targeted by home spectators during a friendly played in Madrid.



A spokesman for the FA confirmed: 'We've raised it with the Bulgarian FA and the UEFA delegate after the match. That's all we're saying about it.'





source:dailymail

World's most amazing makeovers: Proof anyone can look like a model with the right cosmetics

By Lucy Waterlow



Transformation: Make-up artist Vadim Andreev says he can make anyone look like a model, like he has done with this customer



A Russian make-up artist has proved anyone can look as glamorous as a celebrity with his 'miracle makeovers'.



Stylist to the stars Vadim Andreev says he can transform anyone into model material in just one hour with his cosmetics tricks.



The 27-year-old, from St Petersburg, Russia, has released before and after pictures of his recent makeovers to show how different women can look with the right eyeshadow, blusher and concealer.





From drab to fab: The beauty guru says his miracle makeovers take only an hour





'Make-up is a very personal and individual process. I believe that every common girl can become a glamorous celebrity,' he said. 'I want to help everyone to see their own beauty, just sometimes it takes a little bit more time and a bit of a helping hand.'



Vadim said that his subjects are often so amazed by their transformation they don't recognise themselves.



'They do not even expect that they may become so beautiful just by putting a few accents on their faces,' he revealed.





Tricks of the trade: Beauty can be found with the right concealer, eye shadow and blusher according to Vadim





The beauty guru, who has worked with Russian and Georgian popstars, actresses and models, charges around £90 to give makeovers to 'everyday' people.



He says those coming to him for help must do so with a certain mind set or they will struggle to accept their new look.



'Some conservative people are not ready for such a make over, so they need time to get used to these changes,' he explained. 'But most women embrace the changes - and evolve their look to incorporate the new glamorous them.'





Amazed: He said said many women don't recognise themselves after his makeover





However, while he is happy to share some of his tricks of the trade with his customers, he says there are some beauty secrets he cannot reveal.



'There are obviously special secrets we use in professional make-up to extend the beauty look - but these are top secret,' he teased.







Cover girl potential: Vadim has worked with Russian actresses and models and says he can make any girl look beautiful





source:dailymail

Pippa picks up a parking penalty as warden tickets her £40,000 BMW convertible

By Lydia Warren



Fined: Pippa Middleton takes a parking ticket off her windscreen after she was spotted by a warden in London



Since she sashayed down the aisle at her sister's wedding, Pippa Middleton has become used to being the centre of attention.



But yesterday the 27-year-old must have wished her antics were not so eye-catching - after she was spotted by a parking warden.



Pippa parked her convertible £40,000 BMW Z4 outside Scott's Restaurant in Mayfair while she attended a meeting. But when she returned, she found a ticket on the windscreen.





Locked: The bailiff sets to work clamping Pippa's same flash BMW in posh Chelsea, where she lives, just weeks ago





It is not the first time Pippa - nicknamed Her Royal Hotness after her role as maid of honour at her sister Kate's wedding to Prince William in April - has had car trouble.



Just weeks ago, the same car was clamped near to her home in Chelsea.



There have been reports that Pippa is planning to upgrade the Z4 soft-top to an armoured car for protection.



Her millionaire parents Michael and Carole were said to want to buy Pippa a £95,000 bomb-proof Audi or BMW for her safety after she has been propelled into the spot light following the Royal Wedding.





It shall not be moved: Pippa's Z4 was clamped in Chelsea weeks after the Royal Wedding





Like her sister Kate, she has become a fashion idol with the clothes and accessories she wears flying off the shelves after she's pictured in them. So no doubt, hand bag makers Modalu were delighted she was carrying one of their bags, aptly named the 'Pippa', when she made her parking gaffe yesterday.



While her sister settles into a quiet married life on Anglesey, Pippa has been spotted enjoying nights out in the capital.



Last week, she partied with her boyfriend Alex Loudon at Public nightclub, favoured by young royals Prince Harry and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.



That dress: Pippa became a household name when she sashayed down the aisle at her sister's wedding





source:dailymail

'Air napping' in suspended cocoons is latest craze in bid to relax and unwind

By DAISY DUMAS



Time to nod off: The air nap gives tired workers a chance to take a short break from the grind



A gym in Charlotte, NC, is offering frazzled clients a class in the ultimate relaxation technique: sleeping.



Air napping, the latest craze at the Flex-and-Fit gym, sees customers climbing into silken hammocks and hanging in sweet repose for 25 minutes.



In what may be the least arduous gym class ever, the nappers are simply required to make themselves comfortable and fall asleep to the strains of calming music.





Sleep lessons: Shama Patel helps a client wriggle into the silken cocoon before a restorative nap





'Relax, close your eyes and listen to the meditative music,' instructs gym owner, Shama Patel.



Nearly half an hour later, she gently wakes her nappers up, interrupting their rest in the womb-like cocoons.



Fomer attorney Ms Patel says that she came up with the idea as a way to fill the room between work-out and yoga classes.



In her former line of corporate work, she had come across specially-designed napping rooms before and saw the potential in the unused space.





Cocoons: A sleeper lies, suspended in relaxation. The hammocks are made of silk and sleeps only last for 25 minutes





Patel told WCMC.com: 'When I first entered corporate America, they did have a nap room.'



'It encourages us to take a nap and recharge and then get to work.'



The unmoving forms of bodies suspended in the gently swaying cocoons may look eerie, but the response has been positive.



One napper told the news station 'I feel rejuvenated, ready to start the day.'



While another, Evan Panesis, said: 'This was one of the best naps I've ever taken, I might have to get one for my home now.'





source: dailymail

World's heaviest mother goes on diet… after she was ditched by her chubby chaser fiancé

By JOHN STEVENS



All over: Donna Simpson and her chubby chaser fiancé Philippe Gouamba have split up, prompting her to go on a diet



Donna Simpson's record-breaking weight had brought her all she dreamed of.

The 44-year-old had a chubby chasing fiancé, was world famous and earning $90,000 (£55,000) a year from fans who paid to watch her eat more than 15,000 calories a day online.



But the 600 pounds supersize mother-of-two has decided to start losing weight after she broke up with her feeder future husband.





For my daughter: Ms Simpson said she now realises she has to lose weight so that she can look after her four-year-old daughter Jennifer





The holder of the Guiness World Record for the 'World's Heaviest Mother' told subscribers of her website, 'I ask that you take your last looks at the old Donna', as she revealed she was closing the site and starting a diet.



The $20 a month subscription website will be closed down and replaced by a weight loss blog, a decision she said had not been 'easy'.





Big eater: Ms Simpson has been eating 15,000 calories a day, which is more than is recommended for a woman to eat in a whole week





'I recently split with my fiancée of five years and moved with my two children back to my home town in Ohio,' she wrote on her site.



'This life changing move made me realize something important.



'The health and welfare of my family was always my priority and they were well taken care of by my ex.



'Now that I have sole responsibility of taking care of my children, I must drastically change my lifestyle.'





Happy family? Donna Simpson with Philippe Gouamba before their split, and her children Devin and Jacqueline





Showing off: Ms Simpson reveals her gigantic belly



source: dailymail

Rocking it like Rio! Notting Hill Carnival sees hundreds of thousands on the streets for Europe's biggest festival

By JAMES WHITE



Tickertape parade: Dancers scream with delight as they take part in the 2011 Notting Hill Carnival



They came in their hundreds of thousands to dance and have a good time, Rio de Janeiro-style.



And today revellers let their hair down in style at the Notting Hill Carnival in West London, with drumming groups, floats and sound systems all taking centre stage.



More than 6,500 police officers were patrolling the streets for the second day of the event as Scotland Yard continued its unprecedented security operation just weeks after the riots.



By 3pm, 17 people had been arrested, bringing the total held over two days to 99.





Main event: Drummers take to the streets of Notting Hill, west London, to perform on the second day of the carnival







Good time girls: Performers brave slightly chilly conditions in their incredible costumes





Huge event: The streets of Notting Hill and surrounding areas are filled with revellers





Record numbers of police officers were on duty, with London's reputation at stake in the wake of widespread violence and looting earlier this month.



The festivities got off to a peaceful start yesterday, with more than 5,500 officers on the streets, as revellers descended on the capital for Europe's biggest street festival.



Between 6am on Sunday and 8am today there were 88 arrests for a variety of offences, including drugs possession, public order, theft, criminal damage, robbery and assault, the Metropolitan Police said.





Flamboyant: A woman shows off her carnival costume, left, while another displays her dancing skills





Record police presence: Scotland Yard has put 6,500 officers on duty today for the carnival





Colourful: The event is expected to draw one million people to the area, making it Europe's largest street festival







Say cheese: A woman makes ingenious use of her camera to help her apply make-up today





Officers from the dog support unit also seized three Pit-Bull type dogs under section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act but no-one was arrested, the force added.



Last night, Commander Steve Rodhouse announced there would be a larger police operation in place today, with yesterday's 5,500 officers increased to 6,500.





What a day: These participants enjoy themselves while wearing dramatic headgear





Delicious: Chefs prepare industrial quantities of jerk chicken for the hungry masses





Party time: A happy dancer





Fun times: More women join the party as a policeman looks on







Putting on a show: Dancers give a dramatic performance for the Bank Holiday crowds



source: dailymail

Making a splash, nightclub raver Harry plunges into swimming pool without stopping to undress

By REBECCA ENGLISH



Leading the way: Fellow clubbers took their cue from Prince Harry as he srutted his stuff barefoot on the side of the pool



He has done his best to shake off his tag as a playboy prince by applying himself to his military career.



But this weekend Prince Harry was back on form and partying with the best of them.



Arriving at one of Europe’s leading open-air nightclubs, the 26-year-old royal threw himself into the party spirit and, for good measure, into a swimming pool – without stopping to take off his clothes.





Splashing time: Harry plunged fully-dressed into the nightclub pool





Laughing, he hauled himself out and danced barefoot on the side to the ear-splitting sounds of house music as fellow clubbers roared their approval. Harry was later seen at the bar wearing a borrowed white T-shirt with his damp shirt tied round his waist.



The prince had flown to Croatia for a mini-break with a group of friends on an EasyJet flight on Saturday. He is believed to be staying on a yacht near the pretty island of Hvar where on Saturday night he headed for the Veneranda nightclub.





Soaked: The prince's clothes appeared to be saturated when he emerged from the pool at the Veneranda nightclub





The prince, who is currently training to become an Army Air Corps Apache pilot in Suffolk, wasted in no time in making the most of his mini-break and headed out on the town hours after arriving, accompanied by his best friend, Tom ‘Skippy’ Inskip,



As an Apache attack helicopter pilot, he is in the top two per cent of pilots in the Army Air Corps - despite once insisting he was ‘too thick’ to fly such an advanced aircraft.





Water mover: Harry did not seem to mind the fact that his stunt left him soaking wet - and he went on to hit the dancefloor





But the prince has impressed his instructors with his natural aptitude for flying and has mastered the notoriously challenging machine with ease.



He is due back in the UK this week as he has to attend an awards ceremony in London on Wednesday in his position as patron of WellChild, which provides help and support to terminally and seriously ill children and their families.



source: dailymail